Who Are You?
by BronyBraeburn
Summary: Beast is gone and Adam is in his place. Belle insists the two are the same man but Adam is making it difficult. Meanwhile, there's a male Enchanter around, and is Gaston really dead?
1. Chapter 1

It all happened so fast that there was no way to really comprehend everything. From the greatest night of her life to relief at finding her father alive to watching her village turn against her to Gaston fighting the Beast to killing him to watching him transform into a human along with everyone else. Her mind was filled with the image of this man who adored her but she was confused on what to feel. Where was her Beast, who was this man? Who are you, who are you…

"Who are you?" Belle mumbled as she slowly woke up, trying to find her bearings after the confusing whirlwind that was her dream. It was her room in the castle, but why was the mattress suddenly so hard and uneven and-moving! She put a hand to her mouth to stifle her gasp of surprise as she backed up, pressing herself against the headboard. What was a man doing in her bed? Did they—no, they were both fully clothed, and why did he seem so familiar?

She carefully moved next to him as she gently stroked his hair, studying the handsome face. That's right; it was the Beast, sort of. He died…but then magic fell from the sky and he transformed into a human, along with everyone else in the castle. She didn't ask any questions and he didn't volunteer answers; they simply spent the entire day celebrating the fact that they were together and everyone was human again. Like the gentleman he was, he escorted her to her room but they couldn't bring themselves to say good night and she invited him into her room where they again proclaimed their love for each other in words and kisses until they fell asleep in each other's arms. Her hand went from his hair to his face. The feel of skin was so alien to her that she unconsciously wished for fur, but his good heart and beautiful soul was still present in this strange body. It was just something she was going to have to get used to.

The prince's body stirred as he reacted to Belle's attention. His eyes fluttered open and his heart swelled as her warm smile greeted him. "Good morning," He said softly, basking the glow of her warm brown eyes.

"Good morning," Belle returned, finding it strange to see the eyes that she had so strongly fallen in love with in a completely different body. "Beast, what happened the other night? What made you and everyone else become human again?"

The prince tensed at the mention of his old name but he sat up to tell his story. "I was born a prince but I was spoiled and grew to be selfish and unkind. My parents knew I would not make an ideal king and thought I could never be saved. When I was ten, they cut their losses and abandoned me here in the summer castle with an army of servants to care for me.

"A year later, an old beggar woman came to the castle on Christmas and offered a rose in return from shelter from the bitter cold. I sent her away, wanting something of wealth in return, not a rose. She transformed me into a hideous beast to match the ugliness of my heart and denied me human company by turning my servants to household items. I could break the curse if I learned to love another and earn their love in return by the time the last petal fell, and if I didn't, everyone would remain exactly as they are, and I would one day devolve into nothing but a dumb animal, losing every ounce of humanity I ever had." He paused as he placed his hand on her cheek. "Belle, you saved my life and you restored me to my true self. I can never show my full gratitude for what you have done."

Instinctively she placed her hand on his arm as tears glistened in her eyes. "Why didn't you tell me this sooner? Why didn't anyone else? I thought whatever enchantment the castle was under was permanent and there was nothing I could do."

"I couldn't force your hand," He explained as he wiped the tears from her eyes with his free hand. "Whatever developed had to be honest and real, but it doesn't matter now. We're free to be together for the rest of our lives."

She smiled at him and then slightly frowned as a thought came to her. "Is that why you sent my father away, because your parents had given up on you?" Belle asked, curious to know if she finally had the explanation why he would only tolerate one prisoner.

"I am ashamed to admit it, but yes. Your eagerness to protect him surprised me and made me jealous and angry that I was denied the bond that you had with your father. I sent him away because I wanted you to suffer as I had suffered. I am forever sorry for what I have done, but he is welcome to stay here with us. I want him to stay, and I shall give him all that he desires in return for nothing but his blessing for us being together."

She could not find the right words to express her gratitude at his offer and instead gave him a loving kiss. If Gaston was her husband, somehow she doubted he would have supported Maurice despite easily having the money to do so. "Thank you, Beast…" That didn't exactly fit now that he was human. "What is your name, anyway?"

The prince narrowed his eyes slightly at the name, but then asked her to guess. Belle studied his handsome face but even after a few minutes nothing seemed to fit. "It's hard to see you as anything but my Beast," She admitted.

"Adam," He gruffly informed her. "My name is Adam." He was no longer an animal but a man. Why did she have to keep bringing up their past? 10 years of his life wasted until the last few months when Heaven itself had sent Belle into his life. He was determined to move on and to only be the man that his love needed.

"Adam," She repeated with a smile and rained kisses on his lovely lips, saying his name to get accustomed to it after every one. "It suits you, my love."

His male pride placated, Adam would have kissed her forever if there wasn't a knock on the door. "Breakfast is served, my dear. Hurry before it gets cold," came the voice of Mrs. Potts.

Belle sighed and kissed him one last time before sliding off the bed. "She's right; we should go out and have breakfast." She went to the wardrobe, now just a regular piece of furniture, and pulled out a dress for the day, blushing as Adam remained where he was, giving her a twisted smile. "Do you mind?" She asked as she motioned toward the door.

"But I've already seen you naked," He pointed out, "and what a lovely view it was. Beauty like that should be savored over and over again."

"Adam, please," She pleaded. "I'm not ready just yet."

"You made love to the Beast yet you can't change in front of me?" He asked in a warning tone.

Men and their needs! "You and the Beast are the same person," She sternly reminded him, doing her best to keep her composure as she remembered that wonderful night. "If I couldn't separate the man from the animal, I never would have fallen in love with you and you would be dead. You've barely been human for 24 hours now and I never expected you to change. Please, give me time to adjust first."

"I am still the master here," Adam reminded her, infuriating Belle.

"Get out, NOW!" She ordered, pointing toward the door. "You may be the master of this castle but you certainly cannot order me to do something I'm not comfortable with!"

Adam took the hint and stormed out, unsure of why Belle was being so disagreeable. It was a reasonable request; why did she act like it was such a big deal? Nothing was going to happen, he just wanted to see her naked.

"A woman has rights of her own," Mrs. Potts reminded him. "Give her time and I'm sure she'll be happy to engage in such activities with you, sir."

"I hope you're right," he said as he went down the hall.

* * *

><p>While the Beast transformed from an animal to being human, there was one witness who did not celebrate the change. Gaston had the unfortunate luck not to fall straight into the chasm but land on a flat rock face just outside the castle walls. He was unable to move and could not feel anything below his neck, but his breath still came, however raggedly, as he tried to comprehend the sorry end his great life had come to. The Beast was most likely dead but Belle was free to marry whoever she wanted, and Maurice was free of Mssr. D'arque's asylum. This could not happen! He was Gaston; he was always in control of the situation. Better for Belle to be dead then marry another man, and his death should have come from old age, lying comfortably in his bed with a score of sons and grandsons at his side with the village in complete misery, singing his praises of his long and glorious life. "This is not the end of Gaston," He growled, wasting his precious breath to speak to no one.<p>

But someone did here as a man appeared completely from nowhere, dressed in the robes of a nobleman, and carelessly stood on the edge of the rock face as if there was no chance he would lose his balance and fall. "I have happened upon a lot of dying men in my time but never one so determined to live as you. Your spine is broken in two places, your bones are shattered, and a deep enough breath and you pierce your own lungs with a jagged, broken rib bone. You should died upon impact, yet you desperately grasp at life. How very interesting," He mused.

"I want revenge," He answered, uncertain as to whom this man was but did not care to find out. All he could focus on was the great rage in his heart that demanded Belle's blood.

The stranger laughed loudly. "You are different then other men. They wish to know who I am and if I can spare them from their fate, no matter what the cost. Even in death, your needs are your own and very selfish. Whether you care or not, I am not an angel, Death, God, or Satan; I am simply a humble Enchanter." He gave a quick bow. "How lucky you are that you amuse me, sir, otherwise I would leave you to your drawn out death. I'm sure you earned this through your actions in life, but I am very curious to see what a human does when revenge consumes his body to the point that it chases away death."

Gaston gave the stranger a grim smile, grateful for a second chance. There was a flash of pink smoke and Gaston's body tumbled over into the ravine, with the enchanter's laughter echoing in the chasm.

* * *

><p><em>Author's Note: I will eventually write and post Belle and Beast making love as its own companion one-shot.<em>


	2. Chapter 2

Belle nervously smoothed out her dress as she approached the dining hall for breakfast. Madame la Grande Bouche insisted on a fancy dress that appeared from nowhere, much like the yellow dress, along with some makeup, but Belle put her foot down and put on her green dress with no accouterments. Adam would see the same woman he had for the past month and no one else. She couldn't stand it if he accused her of being a tease. He was so hands off and respectful after that wonderful night, letting time decide if they were to do it again. If he was going to be perverse and demand it like a dog in heat—

"Good morning, Belle," Adam greeted with a bow as she entered the room, acting as if nothing had happened earlier.

"Good morning, Be—Adam," She returned, giving him a warm smile. He learned his lesson it seemed, good. Just because she had already slept with him didn't mean she was ready to engage in any kind of sexual activity whenever he desired.

He showed no reaction to her little slip-up; she corrected herself and that was the main thing. He rushed to pull out her seat for her, which Belle promptly thanked him for. "I didn't see any servants motion for you to do that," She teased him with a smile as she began to eat.

Adam blushed at the memory of his servants always next to him to teach him manners like he was a child all over again. "Yes, well, I do pay attention and I am a quick learner. I only crushed your toes once the first time we danced, remember? I don't think I've ever formally danced like that before in my life. Maybe a few practices here and there with a dance instructor but never with anyone truly important."

Belle lowered her eyes modestly. Would she never get accustomed to being complimented? "So what happens now that you are human again?"

He sighed and lowered his spoon. "Cogsworth sent a letter to the courts this morning saying I am back and prepared to do my duties. I doubt I shall be made crown prince but I am certain I will be involved in politics. How else am I supposed to support everyone here?"

"My father can—"

Adam cut her off with a wave of his hand. "I would prefer if he stayed here with us. There is a large room in the cellar that has been abandoned for years. I will have it cleaned up and he may use it for his inventions, and arrange for his own bedroom."

"Adam, I—"

"Belle, I separated the two of you once. I won't make the same mistake again," He said in the tone reserved for royal commands.

She smiled softly; he was so much like her precious Beast right now, on the edge of a temper tantrum, but not for his own selfish gain for once. "Thank you, Adam, that is most generous of you, but it is up to my father and my father alone to decide if he will stay."

"Is there anything to keep you or your father in Molyneux?" He asked, suddenly afraid that he would lose her again. "The both of you are welcome here, you know that, right? You've pretty much been mistress of the castle since you saved me from the wolves. No servant thinks twice if you ask something of them, and they show you such reverence and respect. I couldn't ask your father to earn his keep while you do not."

"No," She answered quickly, much to Adam's delight. "As you said before, the castle is my home now. I only left the other night to save my father; I would never want to leave you again. Even if my father chooses to stay in Molyneux, I would prefer to stay here."

Adam's smile filled the room. "I am honored that you would say that, considering our rough beginnings."

"It was a blessing in disguise for both of us. It gave us everything we needed."

Their eyes met on accident, speaking volumes, and the rest of breakfast was spent in silence, too shy to say what was on their minds. When the servants came to clear the dishes, so did Maurice.

"There you are! I've been looking all over for you. I don't know if I can ever get my bearings here."

"It took me a week to really get to know my way around, and there are always the servants to help you," Belle pointed out.

"I should connect a compass with a map so it can tell me exactly where I am in the castle at all times."

Adam chuckled, "You'll certainly have ample opportunity to do so, _monsieur_, because I am inviting you and your daughter to stay here in the castle."

"I don't want to influence your decision, Papa, but I have already agreed to stay here with Adam. I don't want to go back to Molyneux," she added, hoping her father would understand. They haven't had much of a chance to sit down and talk about what happened during her time away, and how she had grown to love the Beast and the man deep inside.

"You were desperate to save him the other night," He pointed out. All she had managed to tell him was that the Beast had changed somehow and after that, she was frantic to protect them both when someone threatened them. After the mob was distracted by Gaston's vow to kill the Beast and he was safe from the asylum, Belle was so focused on protecting him that she forgot about everything else. Even Philippe seemed to share her eagerness and reacted milliseconds before she guided him with the reigns, and though they had never been apart for so long, Belle was much more interested in being with Adam yesterday, and left him in the lovely company of Mrs. Potts and Chip. "I could never come between the two of you, and I don't wish to be separated from you ever again, Belle. Your Highness, I most humbly accept your offer." He bowed and instantly regretted it. "Oh my back…"

Belle rushed over and helped him straighten up, "Are you alright, Papa?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine," He insisted, stretching until his back cracked. "I'm too old to be racing a horse, that's all. I'll be feeling it for another day or two."

"You need rest," She insisted, putting her hands on her hips. "I'll take you to my bedroom where you can lie down."

"Lie down? Ha! There's work to be done!" He rubbed his hands in excitement. "I need to set myself up with a new inventing room, and perhaps rescue my tools from Molyneux. Care to join us, Your Highness?"

"Not now," Belle commanded, attracting the attention of both men. "Tonight, around dusk, when the men are usually holed up in the tavern, that's when we'll go."

"As you wish, Belle," Adam agreed, finding her request odd but clearly he was in no position to question it. "I would like to accompany you both and see your childhood home."

She rewarded him with a soft smile that made him melt. "I'd like that."

"Then it's all settled," Maurice smiled. "Onward to finding my inventing room."

"No, Papa, I told you to lie down."

"Why don't I show your father the room that I had suggested earlier and then he can rest?" Adam said, trying to find a compromise.

"I'll hold you to that," She insisted. "I'll come back in a few hours."

"Very well," He agreed, and watched as she walked off, cursing the dress that hid such a lovely behind. Soon, he prayed, and started down the corridor.

"So, Your Highness—"

"Please, call me Adam," he interrupted. It would be hard enough getting reacquainted with his title, he didn't need to hear it from who he hoped would be his future father-in-law.

"Very well, Adam," Maurice agreed. "What exactly happened while I was away? All I could get out of Belle was that you had changed somehow."

While he was away, Adam cringed at such a statement. It was like painting a nice picture over the horrible truth of what really happened. Even though what had happened had led to Belle, his salvation even if she wasn't able to end the curse, he hated himself for what he did. He treated Maurice exactly as he did the Enchantress herself, it was nothing short of a miracle that Belle was exactly what he needed to change and he could never show her how truly grateful he was.

"I was a spoiled prince; such a monster that even my own parents wanted nothing to do with me. I offended an Enchantress who gave me a body to match what was in my heart and turned my servants into household objects. I was told to learn to love someone and earn their love in return within ten years otherwise I would remain a Beast forever. Shortly after you…left, I gave Belle her own bedroom and permission to go anywhere she liked in the castle, except the West Wing which was my lair. That very night she defied me but what really set me off was that she had almost touched the enchanted rose, the timepiece of my curse. I was terrified she might harm it somehow and prematurely end my chance for redemption, so I scared her horribly with my rage. The only thing I could stop myself from doing was physically hurting her, so instead I smashed several pieces of furniture nearby as I roared at her to get out.

"Frightened for her life, she mounted her horse and tried to go home, but she met a pack of hungry wolves. I saved her and chased them away, but not before receiving terrible wounds. She had a chance to run for home and leave me to die but instead she brought me back to the castle and cared for me. She was no longer intimidated by my temper and would stand up to me each and every time, the first in my entire life. I started being nice to her and she did the same and we became friends.

"She never tried to escape again, and I was the one who gave her permission to leave to save you the other night. I honestly don't know if she would have asked, because she was in such pain and yet made no move to flee. I think she honored her imprisonment even though I had released her weeks before, but I was too afraid to tell her, too afraid she would run back to you and never return, and I couldn't bare it if I lost her forever. I didn't put up a fight when Gaston came for me; I wanted to die so I would no longer feel the heartache of losing her, convinced that she would never come back, not after the way I've treated her, treated you. Seeing her again gave me the strength to fight back."

Change somehow indeed! Belle shaped him into a whole new person, quite literally! "When we entered the castle, I quickly lost her because she ran so fast into the labyrinth of hallways. I turned around to make sure Philippe didn't wander off but he was gone too. Turns out he went to the stables and put himself in his stall, acting like he had lived there his entire life. A servant found me and took me to the ballroom where you were busy dancing with my daughter."

"I love her with all my heart and soul, Maurice, and it is a great honor to be loved by her."

"And now that you are a prince again, what happens now?"

_That damned question, _Adam thought with a growl. _If it was up to me, everything would remain the same._

"Will you abandon her for a princess to secure your title?"

"No!" He immediately answered, shocked and angry at such a question. "After all she's done for me, after all we've been through, I could never dishonor her like that. I'm sure in my absence plans were made for a new heir; I will not fight for the crown. My people deserve someone better then I, who was no good for anyone until Belle came into my life. I will simply enter politics so I can continue to support everyone. Who my wife is won't matter to anyone, and I have people to help me."

Maurice couldn't think of a better man for his daughter. "And do you intend to make her your wife?"

"It is my fondest dream, but I don't know if she will have me," He answered modestly. "We've only known each other a few months, what if she thinks we're moving too fast or that I feel pressure to find a wife and she will have to do?"

He put his hand on the younger man's shoulder, though he had to stretch far to do it. "When the moment is right, you must confess your love and ask her. That is what I did with my wife, though I was certain she would not have me. You are the only man she has ever paid any mind to, I guarantee she'll say yes."

The only man she ever paid mind to, but how could that be? "She's so beautiful; didn't she have an army of suitors in the village?" She barely mentioned her life before the castle, and had only said the villagers found her odd because she liked to read so much, but surely men put it behind them to seek her hand in marriage?

"Only one, Gaston, who probably scared away other potential suitors," he answered.

Gaston, just the name made Adam softly growl and clench his fist, "That barbarian, that monster?" He could still hear his taunting voice echo inside his mind. _Were you in love with her, Beast? Did you honestly think she'd want you, when she had someone like me? _"He didn't deserve the time of day from her."

"He pursued her all the same, but Belle always politely turned him down. I'd much rather have you for a son-in-law then anyone in Molyneux. You'll care for her, love her and support her in ways that even I never could."

"It is an honor to hear you say that, and I promise never to let you down." He paused a moment. "Did she have any true friends in Molyneux?" She had taken so quickly to the servants like she was desperate for companionship, and she treated her horse like it was more then just a draft animal, like a member of the family.

"The only one she ever spoke of was the book lender. She would find any excuse to go to town to see him and browse his selection of books. Perhaps that is why she is afraid to go back."

"Belle afraid? She stood up to me as the Beast, why should a bunch of ordinary villagers scare her?"

"Don't you think it odd that she would ask to return home after dark and risk whatever dangers are in the forest? Gaston was the town hero, everyone adored him—"

"And now he's dead," Adam finished. "I lost control of my body when he stabbed me-" He grabbed his side where he suddenly felt phantom pain—"and I knocked him over the side, into the ravine. There is a river at the bottom but it flows in the opposite direction of Molyneux, so there is no body to give to them, and no corpse of the Beast either."

Maurice nodded. "They will want answers, answers we can't give."

"If they hurt Belle, Gaston will have company on his way to hell," Adam threatened, feeling the Beast awaken inside of him.

"Which is why her plan of going after dark is wisest," Maurice assured the prince. "At dusk, almost the entire village goes to the tavern every night. They will be certain to sing of Gaston's praises and drown themselves with alcohol in numerous toasts of his many achievements. We'll be safe to take what we need, which isn't much. Let them assume we disappeared along with Gaston and they will claim what remains for themselves, along with the house."

"I'm sorry that I was the cause of you losing your home, Maurice," he apologized, genuinely feeling sorry though he was pleased that Belle and her father would remain with him.

"It's not the first time I had to leave my home, and it's not Belle's either. She was born in Paris but her mother died of smallpox about ten years ago. We couldn't afford to stay there anymore and moved to Molyneux, a village I was acquainted with on my travels to sell my inventions. You heard her earlier, she wouldn't dream of leaving your side, even if I chose to remain in the village."

"Yes," He nodded and smiled, honored that he had her love and loyalty despite their awkward beginning, to put it mildly.

"Is this it?" Maurice asked, peering into the semi-darkness. Four windows gave the room little light and they were so far back that he guessed the place was twice as large as the cellar back home.

"Oh yes, here we are." Adam was so distracted by their conversation he forgot their original intent. "As I said, the room was abandoned for years, but the servants have kept it clean as something to do."  
>"This is perfect, and so much room! I'll be inventing again in no time!"<p>

"I'm glad to hear that, because it's time to lie down and rest for tonight."

"I already told you, I'm fine, I just can't race horses anymore!"

"I promised Belle I'd make sure you'd lie down and rest. I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of her temper."

"No you wouldn't," Maurice laughed, and let the prince walk him back.


	3. Chapter 3

Adam admired Belle's bond with Philippe as the horse seemed eager to do his mistress's bidding while he and Maurice got the wagon ready. As soon as the sun slipped beneath the horizon, they headed out with Adam clutching a loaded musket just in case the wolves decided to make a third attempt to eat the people he loved. Belle navigated her way down the road with ease and Philippe remembered it just as well. He would prefer never having to walk it again, but he was a horse, what possible control did he have over his life?

It was quite dark when they exited the woods. Adam was worried about bandits but Belle seemed just fine. "Everyone will be at the tavern; no one will care about foolish travelers at night." Philippe trotted the rest of the way home, visibly relieved at being free from the woods. Maurice doused the lanterns as they grew near and Philippe was slowed to a slow walk, careful to make as little noise as possible. The wagon was parked near the empty goat pen; Maurice sold all their livestock in desperation for money to aid in his search for Belle weeks before.

"Go free," Belle whispered to Philippe as she unhitched him from the wagon.

"Belle, what are you doing?" Adam hissed, trying to keep his voice down.

"Stay in the field, you're taking us home to the castle soon," she instructed.

Philippe nodded and cantered to the field, reveling in his freedom.

"He's just a horse! He doesn't understand us!" Adam whispered harshly.

"He won't run away," Belle assured him. "As soon as we're ready to go, he'll come back and won't fight as we hitch him back up. He doesn't deserve to be stuck to the wagon while we explore. I know this village and what they are doing. I wouldn't have suggested we come at this hour otherwise."

He gave up. It wasn't worth fighting over. "Where is your father?"

"In the cellar, gathering his tools," she pointed to the entrance that strangely had hinges for a door but no door could be found. "It's a mess down there so he'll be hunting about."

"What happened?"

"Gaston locked us down there so we couldn't ride ahead and warn you. Chip was a stowaway in my bag to convince me to go back to the castle. He hid in the house when Gaston and his cronies came. He's such a smart boy; he managed to get my father's wood-chopping invention running and crashed it into the cellar door, freeing us." She shuddered when she remembered how close the Beast was to death when she returned, how ready Gaston was to smash his brains over the structure, and took his hand. "I'm so glad I was able to get there in time."

Adam brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. "Why was he-?"

"Can we talk inside?" She motioned toward the front door.

"Of course," he followed her inside and lit a candle near the door, filling the room with light. The shutters were closed and did a good job of hiding the light from outsiders. He couldn't hide his amazement at such a room. There was maybe a foot of space between his head and the ceiling at most, not ample feet as with his castle. The furniture was so raw and unfinished, built for a basic purpose and nothing more. Even the furniture in the servant's quarters had a sense of style to it. He glanced at the cabinet next to the fireplace and did a double-take. _Mon dieu!_ Was this meager pile Belle's beloved collection of books?

Belle was suddenly embarrassed of her old life. "I have more books upstairs. I know it's not even a drop in the bucket compared to what you have at the castle, but they are all well read and loved. I mostly borrowed from the book lender." She sighed and steeled herself. "You probably think all this is shabby but—"

"It reflects how industrious you and your father are, as well as the craftsmen among my people." He knocked on the wall. "See, solid as a rock. This whole house and everything in it is well made, no matter what its design is."

She smiled and began to pile the books into her satchel. "I can't leave a single book behind. I won't let them burn or destroy them in any way."

"There is plenty of space in the wagon and several crates to carry them in, and the library has space for any number of books. Take your time, you said so yourself that the early ones won't stagger out until midnight."

She smiled at him and then paused a moment as she grabbed a book with a navy blue color, touching it reverently as if it was an antique who had seen centuries pass by.

"What's wrong, Belle?"

"The day my father went to the fair and started all of this, the book lender gave me this as a gift, because it was my favorite book in his entire shop. Far-off places, daring sword fights, magic spells, a prince in disguise…and I ended up living my own adventure, instead of just reading about it."

"The castle isn't exactly far off, and Gaston and I fought like back-ally brawlers, not distinguished gentlemen fencers," Adam pointed out, trying to knock her out of her serious mood.

"Well I never once imagined a castle so close to here," she laughed, "and Gaston would never fight like a gentleman, because he was nothing more then a brute." She sighed and gathered a few more things on the first floor.

"Then I shall find the best fencers in all of Europe and have them compete for your pleasure," Adam offered, "and then the book will fulfill the prophecy of your life."

She expected him to laugh at comparing her life to the book, since the two were quite different, but going out of his way to support it was quite unexpected. She kissed him as a thank you, but Adam wouldn't let go of her that easily and extended it, holding her close so she couldn't get away. She stayed in his arms for quite a while until she forced herself back, embarrassed at her flushed face. "We should—well, there's more books upstairs," she reminded him shyly.

"You were close, weren't you?" He teased as he followed her upstairs, pleased that he could make his strong Belle as shy and embarrassed as a school girl.

"Close to what?" What was he talking about?

"Oh you know, testing if that table of yours was truly solid and could handle extreme pressure." The smirk on his face said it all.

"Not even the Beast could break that table," she replied playfully. "You were too soft and gentle; you wouldn't have even made the table creak."

His smirk transformed into a frown. Was she questioning his masculinity, his abilities? "I could smash that table into toothpicks as a human."

"And if I wanted a brute, I would have gone to Gaston. He would lie with any woman in Molyneux if they would have him."

Why did she always have to win these arguments? Why did she always come up with something witty to stop him dead in his tracks? He remained quiet until they reached her bedroom, easily less then half the size of hers back in the castle. He reverently touched the bed posts and the wool blanket, thinking of all the nights she slept here, looking even more beautiful then when she was awake, dreaming of a world beyond her little village, one that he was damn determined to give her. "Who's this?" He picked up a miniature portrait sitting on the nightstand. The woman kind of looked like Belle. "Is this-?"

"My mother, yes" she finished for him, a sad faraway look in her eyes.

He sat on the bed and patted the space next to him. "What was she like?"

She sat next to him, her mind far away in Paris, in the past. "She's the one who taught me how to read. She gave me my love of books. Papa knew how to read long before he met my mother but he's only interested in mechanical books or the biographies of great inventors so he can learn from them. She was the youngest daughter of a wealthy merchant family in Paris, a gift from God as they thought my grandmother was too old to have another child. Beautiful, selfless, kind, gentle—"

"She sounds just like you," he interrupted, putting an arm around her shoulder and holding her close. "I can certainly see why you and your father love her so much."

Belle smiled as a tear fell, smuggling close to Adam. Would she have found a man like him if her mother was still alive and they remained in Paris? "She married my father for love, but my grandparents were more concerned with the fact that my father wasn't even close to their social class. It's all they seemed care about, because we never heard the end of it. They seemed convinced that my father only married her because he wanted her money, and they viewed me as an illegitimate child even though I was born a year after they were married."

Adam restrained himself from saying what he thought of her relatives. It wasn't something a lady should hear. "They are fools and more blind then a man born without sight," he insisted. "Money and social standing isn't everything. Your father is a great man and you…Belle, there isn't enough words in every language spoken on this earth, from civilized to barbaric, to accurately depict what a wonderful woman you are. I consider it a great honor just to have met you. To know your heart and have your love, that is something on an entirely different level, and I am a prince, I am a direct descendent of a long line of great and noble men. Merchants, even rich ones, are usually common-born who rise up due to their intelligence, skill, and a bit of luck in the markets. They have no right to talk of social class when they are descended from common-born, even generations ago." _If you ever honor me by becoming my wife, I shall personally make sure they regret ever thinking ill of you and your father, _he vowed silently.

She looked up at him in surprise, tears still glistening in her eyes, surprised that he would say such a thing and loving him that much more because of it.

He smiled and kissed away her tears. "If you'd like, I can arrange for Mssr. Pinceau to make a larger portrait and hang it prominently in the castle."

Once again words failed her and she depended upon a loving kiss to show her thanks. Adam pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. "You know I'd do anything for you, Belle," he whispered the moment they broke off.

"I know," she replied, thinking how Gaston would expect the world from her but give her nothing in return, "and I would do the same for you."

"It's getting late," he pointed out, rising from the bed. "We should leave."

"You're right," she agreed, and quickly packed up the remainder of what she wished to take. She paused a moment at the doorway and looked one last time at the bedroom she had known for over half her life. Adam placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and they left in silence.


	4. Chapter 4

Once free of his harness, Philippe cantered to the field and then dropped to roll around, reveling in the familiar scents of home. Maurice and Belle were the only master and mistress he had ever known besides the farm where he was born, and the same went for Molyneux. The castle wasn't such a bad place though. In Molyneux all he had was Belle and Maurice to care for him. At the castle, he had a small army of grooms bending over backwards to tend to his every whim, once he accepted the fact that the brushes, feed buckets, and other tools were somehow alive and could move on their own. Belle had to teach him; otherwise he might have succeeded in knocking the entire stable down with his bucking. Two days ago, everything stopped moving and humans were suddenly caring for him; again a shock he had to get accustomed to. He didn't question it; humans were too strange to fully understand.

He was smart enough to notice the change in Belle though. She would visit him daily and they'd usually go for a walk or a ride around the castle, and most often she'd talk to him, tell her about her day, just as she always did. She missed the master something awful and sometimes would cry into his shoulder, but she was happy, perhaps more so then home. She stopped talking about a man named Gaston with anger and frustration in her tone and instead talked about the Beast, that scary man-animal that saved him and Belle from the wolves, and the heaviest load he had ever carried or pulled.

More and more her tone conveyed affection for the Beast, and when Belle asked him to take her away from the castle, it was at great haste, and greater speed was asked of him when he carried her and the master back. The castle was his new home now; everyone's new home, all thanks to the man-animal, who had also disappeared when the humans came back. Was he now this Adam, who Belle seemed so fond of? It certainly looked that way. The only human she cared about was the master, and even though Adam appeared from nowhere, she cared about him just as much, if not more. The enchantment was the first and only major aspect of the human world that he did his best to understand, instead of accept it without question as always.

He rolled back to his feet and looked up at the starry sky, and since he was in a thinking mood tonight, wondered how those fireflies managed to get stuck in the big bluish-black thing. It certainly made for a pretty sight, one he could see from his stable window at the castle, not so much here in Molyneux. He looked around one last time, committing the field and his former home to memory. It was nice of his master and mistress to let him say goodbye to his former home, and he was very happy to call the castle his new home. All those grooms, that fancy stable, and Adam made Belle so happy, what more could he ask from life?

He heard a low whistle and knew it was Maurice calling him. Without hesitating, he turned around and galloped back, always happy to do whatever his masters asked of him.

* * *

><p>Adam worriedly looked around as he and Belle left the house. Where was that damn horse? Was he really intelligent enough to do as Belle asked? Philippe snorted, alerting Adam to his presence, already hitched to the wagon and ready to go.<p>

"I told you he's a smart horse," Belle teased, patting Philippe's shoulder before climbing into the driver's seat, Adam right beside her, and Maurice inside the wagon. They barely traveled thirty feet before they stopped, with Belle's heart pounding in her chest. "Oh no."

Adam's jaw tightened as he glared dangerously at their obstacle, and Philippe tried to steel himself to the idea of attempting to run over a human being. Unless the man moved he had no room to maneuver around him.

"LeFou," she whispered, "the one who stood to lose the most."

"Get down, Maurice," Adam harshly whispered, and the old man obeyed, hiding among the crates, hoping and praying that everything would turn out alright, and having complete faith in Adam protecting his daughter. He sat perfectly straight in his seat, giving the little man his most royal, condescending look. "Remove yourself sir, before I remove you myself."

"What happened to Gaston?" LeFou demanded, a quarter-empty bottle of rum in his hand, swaying back and forth as he tried to stand up straight. He was completely and utterly drunk. To Belle, he looked like a child looking for his beloved father. Adam saw him as a dog looking for its master, but both felt equally sorry for him. "What happened to him?"

Nobody wanted to answer, but when LeFou touched Philippe's leg to try and steady himself, Adam leapt to his feet and wished he had a whip on hand. "Get your filthy hand off of my horse!" Philippe backed up two steps, unsure if he should react negatively to the little man. All he wanted to do was take his humans home.

"What did you do to Gaston?" LeFou demanded, completely unaffected by Adam's might, stumbling around even more as he took a swig. "The greatest hunter in the world, nothing could have killed him, not even that beast!"

Belle clutched the reigns tighter. What would he do if he knew the truth, that Gaston died because Beast knocked him over the edge, and she was too concerned with saving Beast's life to waste a second thinking about Gaston?

"You did something to him, didn't you?" LeFou accused, pointing an unsteady finger at Belle, infuriating Adam. "You always hated Gaston and you favored that thing, that animal! You ruined Gaston's chances at victory, didn't you? DIDN'T YOU?"

Belle recoiled as if she was struck, and Adam felt the Beast roar with rage inside. He sat down and reached for the musket hidden below the seat. Whether LeFou lived or died would depend on his actions and his actions alone. No one was going to threaten or hurt Belle ever. Not while he still drew breath.

She saw what Adam was doing and gasped, snapping the reigns hard on Philippe's back. He reared from the shock and cried out a fierce warning to LeFou: move or be trampled. LeFou rolled out of the way of the stallion's mighty hooves, and Adam was slammed back into the seat as the horse ran as fast as he could until they reached the forest's edge. "Good job, Philippe," she praised, and let the horse continue at a trot. "You were prepared to kill him, weren't you?" She demanded, looking angrily at Adam. "He was just a harmless drunk! If he manages to remember the encounter, he'll probably think it was a hallucination."

"I wasn't going to kill him," he defended angrily. "I was going to scare him off. He didn't have a weapon; there was no reason to kill him."

"So if he broke off the end of the bottle, you would have shot him?"

There was just no arguing with women! "Even in his drunken shamble, there was a chance he could have slashed at Philippe and given him a serious injury. We both know he's more than just a draft horse, he's family. The wolves didn't lay a claw on him thanks to you. I won't have some drunk, stupid man harm him."

"Adam, you killed Gaston," she pointed out bluntly. "I know you didn't mean to, but the fact of the matter is, you did. I can't bare it if your hands were bloodied again."

He sighed and looked away. "I was prepared to willingly do so before that. You were still in the castle, but I had Gaston by the throat and I was holding him over the edge. He pleaded for his life because there was no escape from my grasp. I was prepared to kill him, but I pulled him back, and ordered him to get out. I couldn't kill him, not when he was defenseless, so scared, and I knew you'd never approve."

"I'm sorry, I was wrong to accuse you," Belle apologized. "LeFou's words frightened me. I didn't do anything to give you the advantage. If anything, I enabled him to hurt you. I distracted you, gave him the perfect chance, and he almost killed you."

"A mistake I intend to rectify now," came a booming voice, seemingly from everywhere at once.

"What was that?" Belle asked worriedly, looking in all directions for the source. It sounded like Gaston, but how? He was dead!

"I didn't hear anything," Adam answered.

"Neither did I," Maurice joined in, and Philippe showed no signs of fear as he trotted along, feeling completely safe in his environment.

"I thought I heard—never mind." Surely she was just imagining it, just scared from what happened with LeFou. Still, she urged Philippe to a faster pace, wanting to get home, and fast. It was just her imagination, she kept telling herself, but why did she keep seeing flashes of red in the branches above her head, following them? When they disappeared, she breathed a sigh of relief, convinced it was all a figment of her imagination.

Suddenly horror filled her as she gasped loudly. No more than six yards away, perched high in the branches, was Gaston, aiming an arrow straight at Adam's heart. "DUCK!" She shouted, scaring Philippe into a sudden gallop. Maurice bounced around in the wagon like a ball and Adam was nearly thrown from his seat, but he managed to grab the reigns and slow the horse to a halt.

"What's the matter with you?" Adam shouted. "You nearly killed us!"

"Gaston almost killed you!" She shouted back. "I saw him up there!" She pointed to his perch but he had disappeared. "We can't give him anymore chances; we have to go home, NOW!"

"Gaston is dead, Belle! He was thrown into the ravine; there's no way he could have survived."

"I saw him, and I heard his voice. He wanted to kill you. I can't bear to lose you again, Adam; the first time was hard enough!"

Seeing her so scared and so concerned for his life banished all his anger and replaced it with a need to comfort and protect her. "Brace yourself, Maurice," He commanded, took the reins and kept Philippe at a run all the way to the castle. Belle didn't see Gaston again for the rest of the trip and shakily got out of the wagon. "I'm sorry, Adam, I—"

He waved off her apology. "It's been a rough night. Just go to bed and I'll see you in the morning. The servants will bring everything into the foyer, and then tomorrow we'll find permanent homes for everything, and ask someone to get a hot bath ready for your father to soak in."

"Thank you," she kissed his cheek, "and good night to the both of you."

The two men wished her good night and waited until she was inside the castle to talk. "I never saw sign of Gaston, nor did I hear him," Adam insisted, unhitching Philippe from the wagon.

"Allow me, sir, please," A groom asked, so very anxious to do his duty after ten years of being a water bucket.

"Fine," Adam relented. He was so frustrated that he hoped a physical activity would relieve him of his stress. "Give him a double ration of oats, he deserves it."

Philippe nudged his shoulder, grateful for the extra treats. Adam smiled and scratched him behind the ear; in the exact place that Belle said he liked the most. "You're finer than most horses of breeding."

"She was probably just scared and let her imagination run wild," Maurice assured him. "Sneaking home like she is a wanted criminal, LeFou's accusations, and the forest would scare anyone with those man-eating wolves. I'm certain this will be the last of any Gaston sightings."

"Just because I wasn't prepared to kill him when I had the chance doesn't mean I couldn't. If he so much as laid a finger on Belle, or even threatened her, I would have killed him and killed him gladly. She's been through enough; I won't let her suffer any longer."

"Adam, I can't think of a better man for a son-in-law for my daughter, based on that promise alone. If we are truly not in control of our fates, maybe the past ten years was worth it just to have what we have now."

"I can't argue with you there," he agreed. Every woman in the village could have found their way to his castle, but only Belle could have freed him from his curse. That was a fact, not an opinion.


	5. Chapter 5

_Author's Note: Thank you Emily and ArtFlourish for being my beta readers and helping me format certain scenes and lines, and thank you all my reviewers for your reviews. You have helped light a fire under me to get this fanfic written fast and have inspired a great many ideas for multiple chapters, and please read ArtFlourish's Disney's Tangled fic. I owe her a shameless plug for her help.  
><em>

* * *

><p>Belle smiled widely as she entered her bedroom, feeling safe and protected from the night's events. She caught herself almost speaking to her wardrobe, telling the Madame about what happened, but it was just a piece of furniture now. Everyone was sleeping and she couldn't disturb them so late just so she could talk. She sighed and changed into her nightgown and grabbed her hairbrush, standing near the window as she mindlessly brushed out her hair from the ribbon. The gate and the wall once seemed a barrier to her freedom; now it was her defense from the world and kept her loved ones safe and near.<p>

Adam was right; all she needed was a good night's sleep, and hopefully he was right about Gaston as well. The only thing she knew for sure was she was never going back to Molyneux again. If LeFou blamed her for Gaston's death, then the whole village no doubt felt the same way, but it was his own fault he died! If only he did as Beast asked and went back to the village, he would be still alive. No doubt the men in the tavern painted the most noble and glorious death for him; if only they knew the truth, that he was a coward and refused to honor the fact that the Beast saving his life. _Forget about him,_ she ordered herself. _Forget about that whole village. It's time to move on. _She slipped beneath the covers and smiled contently as she snuggled into the pillows, so glad to be home.

* * *

><p>She was in Molyneux again, but how? Clutching the book that she was carrying, she tried to make her way home, but the villagers blocked all the streets and alleyways, keeping her within a tight circle. "Please, let me go," she pleaded, but they refused to move and they glared at her as if she was some kind of monster. "What's wrong with all of you?"<p>

"What is wrong with you?" Gaston asked, parting the crowd as if it was the Red Sea.

She gasped loudly as she took a step back. "No, no, no, you're dead!"

"Am I really?" He taunted, and the villagers cheered for him like he was the savior of the world. "I think we would all prefer if you were dead."

"Adam," she whispered, praying that her prince would come rescue her.

"He won't save you, no one will! Everyone is too disgusted with you. We were wrong about your father; he is perfectly sane. You are the one who deserves to be locked up in the asylum."

"What did I ever do to deserve such a fate?" She demanded, trying to hide her great fear. Why must this man continue to haunt her, even in death? She was tired of praying he would give up and leave her alone. She just wanted to be with Adam and not have to think about anyone else.

"You fell in love with an animal," Gaston reminded her, completely disgusted at such an idea.

"You treated it as if it were a man!" A villager shouted. "It was a monster, nothing more," added another. "We should have known there was a good reason why she would not marry Gaston! He kills her lovers!" "Not even Mssr. D'arque can treat this sick being!" Soon their cries became wordless shouts of rage as they closed in on her, demanding her blood. Gaston just stood there, proudly watching over his angry flock.

Belle threw the book at the villagers, who backed up in fear as if the book was an explosive. She burst through the crowd and ran fast as she could, her heart pounding in her chest. Her Beast, an animal? Never. Those men behind her, chasing her, they were the real animals inside the body of a human. Their shouts grew louder and louder until she feared she would go deaf from the noise, then suddenly the noise was gone and replaced with silence.

She was home, safe in her castle. She breathed a sigh of relief and swore never to leave again.

"Belle," came a warm, familiar voice from behind.

Her heart skipped a beat as she took in that voice, that voice that she thought she would near hear again. She turned around, for fear any noise would break the illusion, but he was real. Her smile threatened to take over her face as she stood there for a moment, taking in such a beautiful sight. "Beast," she exclaimed happily, and ran toward him, but a flash of silver suddenly caught her eye and the Beast recoiled in pain just as her fingertips brushed his fur; his roar and her scream entwining as one as if the knife had entered her own heart. Gaston mysteriously appeared from behind him, laughing cruelly before kicking Beast's corpse at her, pinning her to the ground. "You like being crushed by an animal? Then you shall learn to love being crushed by a man."

Within the blink of an eye, she was suddenly in a cell at the Maison de Loon, and Gaston stood before her with a look of pure evil in his cold blue eyes, the exact opposite of Adam's warm and welcoming orbs. Three pairs of hands grabbed her from the darkness, and held her down, ignoring her frantic cries for help and for her beloved Adam to come save her.

* * *

><p>"Belle, wake up, please!"<p>

"Get off of me! Get your filthy hands off of me!"

"It is only your friends, _mon ami_! You are in no danger!"

Her eyes fluttered open, half-expecting to see a dark, rank cell, but there was a comfortable mattress beneath her, not concrete, and the soft rays of morning was sneaking into the room. She faced her tormentors but instead of seeing fiends, it was only Lumière, Cogsworth, and Adam, three faces equally as terrified as her own. It was just a nightmare, easily the worst she had ever had. Wordlessly, she threw herself at Adam and bawled into his shoulder, shaking as she clung to him tightly, desperate to forget everything.

"I've never heard of her having any kind of bad dreams in the castle, unless someone was keeping something from me," Cogsworth looked meaningfully at Lumière.

"Nothing of the sort! Madame la Grande Bouche always updated me on anything worth mentioning that went on here, even boring girl conversation."

Belle paid no attention to the fact that her roommate was spying on her and didn't really care anyway. All that mattered was knowing Adam was alive and well and she was safe from the narrow-minded villagers.

"You're never going back to Molyneux, ever," Adam ordered, holding her tightly, and wishing Gaston was indeed alive so he could kill him again, make him pay for turning his strong Belle into a quivering mass of fear. "Shhh, Belle, shhh, it's okay. It was just a dream. You're completely safe."

"Yes,_ mademoiselle_, nothing shall ever harm you here," Lumière assured her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"You're among friends and family, not villains and scoundrels," Cogsworth added, stroking her hair. "We all love you too much to ever let anyone harm you."

Considering his past reactions, it wouldn't do well to tell him that seeing and then losing the Beast to death once more was especially frightening, but their accusations greatly unsettled her. During the winter, she stopped seeing the Beast as an animal but a man, and had no inhibitions about lying with the Beast. All they did was share love, just like any husband and wife would. There wasn't something wrong with her to fall in love with the Beast, was there? "I was back in the village, somehow," she managed to say, though just talking about it made the memory so fresh and so sharp in her mind. "Everyone knew I had fallen in love with the Beast, and they accused me of being sick in the head, and that I would happily lie with any creature but never a man. Gaston incarcerated me in the asylum and threatened to…to…" She couldn't bring herself to say it; it was bad enough that she could still remember such an evil look in his eye.

The men knew what she couldn't say and better understood why she screamed and why it was so hard to wake her up. Adam was filled with a new desire to kill him and make him suffer for as long as humanly possible and held her tighter, trying his best not to subconsciously dig his nails into her, as he wanted to squeeze Gaston's head until it popped off the body.

She pried herself away from Adam's protective embrace and looked at them all as if she was a child seeking an answer from her all-knowing parents. "It wasn't wrong of me to fall in love with the Beast, right? I'm not…a bad person, am I?"

The servants bit their tongues so they wouldn't answer before their master. She needed to hear that she was very intelligent to look beyond the body and see the soul, just as she had always seen that Gaston's lovely exterior hid a monster inside, from the master himself.

"The fact that you fell in love with something that has an animal's body doesn't look well to others, and they have every right to view it as being wrong," Adam answered, confident in his words.

Belle smacked him as hard as she possibly could, horrified at such an answer. Her hand throbbed with pain but she wasn't aware of anything but a blinding rage toward him. "How DARE YOU! If I didn't see the man inside the Beast, if I didn't have the courage to acknowledge the fact that I love that man—especially considering I didn't know what an impact such a confession would have—you would be DEAD, our friends would be condemned to immortality as objects, and I would be heartbroken, having lost my best friend and one true love! Yet you have the audacity to side with THEM, those fools who don't know you the way I do, the way any of us do!"

Adam fell to the floor from the unexpected force of her reaction. His cheek was bright red and the pain echoed that of the knife wound in his side from being on the receiving end of Belle's anger. "Let me explain, please!"

"Get out, now," she coldly ordered, pointing toward the door.

"Belle," Adam stood up but Lumière and Cogsworth blocked his way to the bed, acting as a honor guard. Their faces were as hard as stone and refused to move for their master, a man they served for the young prince's entire life, even when he was a destructive and tormented Beast. Adam fought back hard tears as he exited the room, and felt his heart break when he heard Belle's muffled sobs, all because of him. His heart roared out in pain as he ran down the corridor and out of the castle, throwing open the stable doors.

Philippe was halfway through his breakfast when Adam burst into the stable. Something was wrong, was Belle hurt? Did he need to bring back a doctor? He abandoned his breakfast and stood at the ready while Adam prepared his saddle; absently noting how much easier this was with human hands, rather then paws.

"Can you take me to Molyneux?" Adam asked. He didn't know how Belle was such an expert at riding those trails. He quickly became lost and the forest was massive. "I trusted you to bring us home last night, so can I trust you again to bring us there and back again? It's just you and me, and this is the last time, I swear to you."

What an honor it was to be asked if he was willing to carry a rider somewhere then be told! Of course he would anyway, Adam was his master just as much as Maurice and Belle. He nudged the saddle and then motioned toward his back.

Adam smiled and within minutes, they were on their way.

* * *

><p>"He's coming around!"<p>

LeFou's head pounded as if it was Mssr. Lefevre's anvil and didn't fight when he felt himself lifted off of the road.

"Are you alright, LeFou?" Mssr. Fournier asked.

"Don't let me drink that much again," he answered.

"He'll be alright," Mssr. Legrand said comfortingly, lifting the small man onto the back of his wagon. "I'll take him home and he can sleep it off. Poor fellow must have a massive headache from lying in the road all night. Good thing no one came along to run him over. We can't have another funeral."

But someone did come along, didn't they? LeFou's exhausted and addled mind tried to think hard about last night, but it only resulted in more pain. He distinctly remembered a wagon, and a horse who didn't want to trample him, but that was it. Did he stop some innocent traveler and accuse the man's wife of being Belle? He must have, considering how angry the husband was, and draft horses were as common as flies in Molyneux and several neighboring villages. Yes, he made a mistake, a mistake…his thoughts drifted away as he fell back to asleep, pleased that Belle was never coming back and had no doubt answered for her sin of leading Gaston to his death.


	6. Chapter 6

_Author's Note: Again I thank ArtFlourish and Emily for being my beta readers and TheGreenArcher for helping me stop banging my head against the wall with great advice on names and French politics. Please read their fics, they are amazing writers._

* * *

><p>Philippe slowed as they approached his old home, assuming Adam wanted to go there, but his rider urged him forward. "No, we're heading straight into town. Do you know the way?"<p>

The horse confidently passed the house and started down the road to the village. It was rare that he actually entered the village, unless Maurice ordered large and heavy materials for his inventions and he had to haul it home, but he often watched and waited for Belle to come home from many trips for chores or new books and she always came and left in the same direction. Besides, how hard was it to walk toward the large collection of buildings?

"Should I even ask if you know the way to the book lender?"

Philippe shook his head.

"I knew it. We'll find it though," he said, patting the horse's shoulder. "Excuse me, madam," he called out to a passerby. "Can you tell me how to get to—?"

"That horse," she exclaimed, recognizing Philippe. "How did you come by him?"

"I was traveling through the woods and I happened upon the horse standing next to two bodies—I assume they were his former owners—covered in claw marks, probably a wolf's. One was a short old man, bald on top with a white mustache, and the other was I assume his daughter; a beautiful, young woman, about 18 years of age or so. Did you know them?" He added when he saw her horrified expression. "I'm sorry for your loss but I'm keeping the horse." He had been practicing that story the entire trip along with a nonchalant attitude about the discovery of the mangled bodies. He prayed he was a fair actor; any day now the world of politics would come to his door and he'd have to make nice with people he could barely stand.

Philippe pulled away from the woman as much as he could, trying to keep his bridle out of reach so she couldn't read it in case she did claim some sort of right to him. If Adam was going to tell falsehoods, then it was his duty to act the part. He had accepted Adam as his new master and wouldn't tolerate another.

"_Mon dieu_, Belle and Maurice—forgive me, sir, I must go," she hastily ran off ahead, stopping almost everyone on the street to tell them the news.

Adam breathed a sigh of relief as she bought his story without question. It pained him to describe his beloved Belle as dead, but he couldn't tell them the truth nor claim Philippe was always his horse and no one else's. Besides, if they thought her and her father dead, then no one would come looking for them. "I guess we'll find the shop on our own, boy," Adam whispered as he urged the horse forward.

Word spread quickly about Belle and Maurice's supposed demise as everywhere Adam looked, there were people in small crowds discussing how it could have happened. Did the wolves kill them or did the Beast go mad? Did Gaston die trying to avenge her death? How noble of him! No wonder he never returned home! In his rage to avenge his love, he acted stupid and killed himself and the Beast, for the mighty Gaston kills everything he sets his mind to. Yes, that must be how he died, there's no other possible way.

It made Adam sick to hear such lies taken as the absolute truth; mere speculation quickly becoming fact and legend. By the next moon no doubt a ballad would be sung by everyone in town depicting a mighty battle and how heroically he died, using his last breath to declare his undying love for Belle, the foolish woman who was too absorbed in her books to realize that true love was staring her in the face. He was so angry that he wished to demolish the town and banish all to the far edges of his kingdom, but Maurice told him that overall Molyneux was a village any kingdom would be proud to have. All the inhabitants were crafty and hardworking, no one begged or starved, and it was extremely rare that someone had to be punished for violating the laws of the land. It was better to get his business over and done with and wipe his hands of the whole town afterward. The fools were blessed to have a woman like Belle live among them, and they scorned and mocked such a gift because she wasn't one of them.

* * *

><p>Although the back room had several crates full of new books to be put on the shelf, the book lender's heart just wasn't in it. Business was still good for him in the past three months, despite the mysterious disappearance of his best customer, but he missed Belle, who he had come to regard as a granddaughter. She was reported to be alive and well the other night, but she never came to see him, and no villager knew of her fate, though many cursed her, blaming her for the death of Gaston. He was too old to spend his nights in the tavern and instead spent them wrapped up in a good book, so he did not share in their hero-worship as he barely knew the great hunter. He hoped she had simply fled with her father to a new town, and there would find a worthy man to call her husband and encourage her love of books.<p>

"Here, boy, hold my horse," came a voice from outside, distracting the book lender. No villager brought their horse into the village unless they needed to haul a heavy load, so it must be a stranger. He welcomed strangers as they meant business, as he couldn't always count on the village to support him. He gasped and clutched his heart when he saw the stranger, a handsome young man, dismount from a familiar horse, Belle's horse! "Sir, how did you come by that animal?" He demanded as soon as the stranger entered the shop. "What happened to his owner, one Belle Bouvier?"

"May we speak in private, sir?" Adam asked, preferring there was no chance of the truth being overheard.

"What happened to her, boy?" He demanded, standing firm.

Adam didn't even dare to whisper that she was safe, afraid that somehow someone would hear him, and instead removed a navy-colored book from the inside coat of his jacket, which made the book lender gasp with surprise. He knew that book all too well.

"And where did you get that?"

"Far-off places, daring sword fights, magic spells, a prince in disguise," he repeated Belle's exact words from last night, triggering the right response in the old man.

"Come, I have just the room," he escorted the young man to a small, windowless room with no exterior door. "This is my preferred reading room, a great way to truly immerse one's self in a book with no distractions." He hung a lighted lantern and offered Adam a seat. "Please, sir, tell me what you know of Belle Bouvier."

"She is alive and well," and how good it felt to say that, "but I would prefer it if the village continues to think she is dead so they won't pursue her in revenge for Gaston's death."

"Thank God," the old man said with a quick prayer. "I am Merlin Linwood, and you are?"

"Adam Vincent Robert Brice Deslar, prince de Champagne."

Merlin leapt to his feet, ready to apologize and bow to his prince, but Adam pushed him back down.

"Sir—"

"Merlin," he interrupted.

"Merlin, I don't deserve your praise just because I was born a prince. I've wasted most of my life and even my own parents gave up on me."

"If you came here because of Belle, then it would seem that she hasn't given up on you, because you obviously care for her to come out here to see me."

"She said you were her only real friend here in the village, and everyone else foolishly thought she was different and strange," he said, his fist subconsciously clenched in anger.

"Start from the beginning," Merlin advised, placing a comforting hand on Adam's fist.

Adam sighed, "You won't believe me. It's so full of fantasy."

"My name didn't come from the bird, and there's a reason why I run this shop."

"I was a spoiled child, and ten years ago, I scorned an enchantress, and she turned me into—"

"So the stories were true, about a beast in a castle," Merlin interrupted. "You were that beast."

"A beast matched what I was in my heart, and I could only change back into a human when I learned to love someone, and I earned their love in return in ten years time, and Belle was the only woman I saw. Her father found my castle buried deep in the woods, and I imprisoned him for trespassing. Belle selflessly volunteered to take his place, but that very night I scared her so horribly that she ran away, but a pack of wolves came upon her. I chased them away, but not before I was wounded and I couldn't go on. She easily could have run away and left me to die, but she brought me back to the castle and cared for me. We became friends, and just before the final second of my deadline, we declared our love for each other and I became human."

"What happened the night the villagers followed Gaston to your castle?" How interesting that real life was as suddenly interesting as his books.

"Belle learned her father was lost in the woods from my magic mirror, which shows you whatever you desire. It pained me, but I released her from her promise to stay in the castle forever so she could rescue him. I gave her the mirror as a way to look back and remember me. It saved her father from being incarcerated in the asylum, but it doomed me as Gaston convinced everyone I was a dangerous creature that should be destroyed. He succeeded in killing the Beast, but in the process, he killed himself. He lost his balance and fell over the edge of the castle. I died, and when the enchantment was lifted, my life was restored when I became human again."

"And Belle?"

"She and her father live with me in the castle. They are too afraid to come back to Molyneux, afraid that the men will harm them in revenge for Gaston's death. I told everyone that I came across their bodies in the woods and claimed the horse for myself, and I'd prefer if they never found out the truth. I don't need them hurting her anymore than they already did."

"Your secret is safe with me, Your Highness," Merlin promised.

"Please, call me Adam," he pleaded. "I haven't done anything to be worthy of my title."

"You earned a place in Belle's heart, you saved her life, and you obviously care deeply for her."

"Everything I am is all thanks to her," he insisted. "Without her, I'm just a dumb animal, a dead dumb animal."

"Which is exactly why you are a credit to our kingdom, Prince Adam," Merlin said proudly. "You love Belle for who she is; you are not concerned with her origins, or how her maternal grandparents have disowned her, as many other men in your position would."

"They will come to regret it, I promise you," Adam vowed, "but if I'm so great, then why does Belle hate me? She had a nightmare last night, Gaston and the other villagers claimed she was a sick and depraved woman for falling in love with a beast. It left her screaming and helpless," he paused as hot tears pricked his eyes. He promised to protect her, but how could he protect her from that? "I'm sorry she had to have the Beast for such a long time; that I couldn't be the man she needed."

"It sounds like she saw the man beneath the animal body, so you were always exactly what she needed. You speak of the Beast as if he was a separate individual, but he's really your heart and soul in a different body. If Gaston didn't chase away any potential suitors, I doubt she would have found a husband who cared for her and supported her as much as you do."

"The nightmare made her question herself; she was afraid she was sick and depraved for falling in love with the Beast, because she didn't know that she could break the enchantment, but she's completely sane. She's the most intelligent woman I'll ever know for looking beyond what she saw. She knew Gaston's good looks hid the real animal, and there was a human heart inside the Beast."

"You told her this, correct?"

"I tried. She wouldn't let me finish after I said the villagers had a right to assume the worst based on what little they knew of us. She…she hit me, and told me to get out."

"She didn't need to hear such a thing after such an ordeal, especially if she woke up screaming. I don't think you should have told her that at all, even if you opened with how intelligent she was. You should have been a little more considerate of her feelings."

He felt like an ass as he hung his head in shame; how could he have been so stupid? No wonder Belle reacted the way she did, she had every right to. "You're right," he painfully admitted, tears welling up in his eyes as he remembered how angry she was, how her lovely brown eyes burned with rage. "I should have thought before I spoke. Now what am I going to do? She hates me."

Merlin's heart went out to the young prince, and then he had an idea. "Wait here," he instructed. Adam lost track of time as he waited, hoping and praying that Belle could somehow forgive him for his stupidity. "Give her this," Merlin handed Adam a book. "It just arrived today. It's from the same author who wrote her favorite. Please take it and give it to her as a gift, along with a heartfelt apology."

Adam flipped through the fresh pages, and caught a piece of paper as it tumbled out. "Shoddy bookbinding if the pages are already loose—wait, this is a letter."

"A letter from me to her, so we can continue to write each other if she can't frequent my shop," he explained.

"This is wonderful, thank you, Merlin," Adam exclaimed, tucking the book into his jacket and removing a small bag of money. He poured out a fistful of coins and handed it to the reluctant merchant.

"Oh no, I couldn't accept this. It's a gift."

"I know. This money is to help your business and keep you in comforts. I don't want to see you have to leave because your shop can't support you. Everyone needs stories in their life."

"I most humbly accept this generous offer then, Your Highness," he bowed.

Adam smiled. "I'll see that Belle gets this letter as soon as I return home. I know she'll be anxious to respond to it. Thank you, sir, for everything, and good day."

Merlin watched as Adam generously paid the boy for minding Philippe and rode away tall in the saddle, as if he was riding a horse of great breeding instead of a common draft horse. "Please forgive him, Belle; he is the finest man we both have ever known."


	7. Chapter 7

_Author's Note: Again I thank ArtFlourish and Emily for being my beta readers. Please read ArtFlourish's fic._

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><p>Torn between a raging anger and immense sadness, everyone was afraid to approach Belle as she was quick to lash out one minute and cling to someone the next. Perhaps she had watched her Beast and his temper tantrums far too often and they had assimilated into her routine, but the last time she had felt so angry was when Gaston called her Beast a monster. Without thinking, she responded with the truth, that he was the monster instead, even though she was scared that he might assault her for such a statement. How often had he bragged that he could kill a bear with only his bare hands? Everyone usually erupted into immediate cheer like he already did it and she simply frowned, silently daring him to risk his pretty face, though she knew, like everybody else, that he had the strength to do so.<p>

"_Mademoiselle_?"

"What?" She demanded, turning around and glaring dangerously at the cowering maître'd. Her shoulders sagged with defeat as she sighed, "I'm sorry, Lumière, you're not the one I should be angry with."

_Since when did the master ever call you anything but Belle? _Lumière hated to be on the receiving end of her anger, and nothing the master ever did before triggered such a rage from her before. "I am sure the master didn't mean what he said—"

"Then he shouldn't have said it," she snapped. "He should have told me that I wasn't wrong for falling in love with him, for saving his life just as he saved mine!"

"That is certainly what I and everyone else thinks," he said, trying to calm her down. "He will come around and see reason."

"Then why isn't he here yet? It's been several hours, hasn't he figured out why he was wrong by now?"

"You did order him to leave you alone."

"He left me in the dungeon twice for no longer then ten minutes after promising I was to spend the rest of my life in there!"

"Yes but you never ordered him to leave you alone. Perhaps he is waiting for you to come to him."

"Never," she vowed. "He will come to me, on his knees, begging for my forgiveness."

_I'd give up a month's pay to see that_, he thought, chuckling at the image in his mind. The master was quite apologetic and ashamed at times but never did he seem ready to fall to his knees and beg.

"I don't care if it was just a dream," she growled angrily, sitting on the bed as her anger turned over to tears. "I saw the Beast, I heard him speak, and I was so happy; it felt so real. I was back in the castle, convinced I was safe from the world and no one would judge us."

"That sounds like a heavenly dream," Lumière said, daring to sit next to her. "Not something to wake up screaming from."

"As soon as I touched him, he roared with pain. Gaston killed him, and I couldn't stand to watch him die a second time. I expected him to hit me, not bring me to the asylum and try to—" His eyes, they were the worst. Even though Gaston felt that she was dirtied by an animal, it was clear he would take such joy in cleansing her.

Lumière pulled her into a tight embrace. "Don't think about that, don't ever think about that. No one will ever harm you here. The entire castle will fight to protect you, and the master will fight harder then all of us combined, because that's how much he loves you, no matter what foolish things he may say."

Arguments died on Belle's tongue as she cried into her friend's shoulder. Where was Adam? Why wasn't he here with her? Didn't he realize how much she needed him? Watching the Beast die again felt like she was losing Adam forever, and how could she move on knowing such a great man was dead, and how no other, not even those home in Paris, could measure up to him?

Cogsworth stood in front of her door just as stony faced as the guards who stood before Buckingham Palace. He didn't move an inch as Adam came running toward him, book in hand.

"Cogsworth, let me in, I need to see her," Adam ordered.

"Belle is seeing no one, especially you," he replied, standing his ground.

"I am the master here," Adam growled furiously. "How dare you defy me! Open this door and let me in!"

"And Belle is the mistress here, and she has specifically ordered that she sees no one, especially you," he said, unmoved by his master's anger.

Adam felt like he would explode with anger and sadness fighting to see which emotion would become dominant. Although he was tempted to just break down the door, he simply shoved the book into Cogsworth's hands and ran down the corridor, resisting the urge to run on his hands and knees like a beast.

Cogsworth looked down at what he had and knocked on the door.

"What? Can you not see that the girl is in distress?" Lumière hissed as he answered, cracking open the door.

"The master came by, wants to give her this," Cogsworth slipped the book inside the room.

The master? "Where is he?" Belle demanded, standing up and regaining the anger that she had lost before.

"Nowhere, nowhere," Lumière assured her, slamming the door shut and smacking Cogsworth's rear end. "Cogsworth just found this book outside your door."

Belle gently took it and sat down, studying the cover. It wasn't familiar, and somehow it didn't seem like it came from the library. She opened it to the cover page and gasped loudly. Another book from her favorite author, the one that Mr. Linwood gave her the day she came to the castle.

"Is everything alright?"

"More then alright," she said softly, closing and hugging the book close to her chest. Wherever it came from, it was a great soothing balm. "Oh? What's this?" She gently tugged on a piece of paper sticking out from the book. Was a page loose already? Surely the castle bookbinder could fix it.

"It looks to be a letter, but from who?"

"Who indeed?" She wondered aloud as she unfolded it and began to read.

_My dearest Belle,_

_I hear you ran away from your provincial life to have your own adventure, and you didn't take me with you? Just because I am an old man doesn't mean I don't have the stamina and courage to handle a beast in a castle. I am so glad to hear you are safe, it was a hard winter not knowing if you were alive and well. I miss our conversations over books so I have enclosed my address so we may exchange letters. I would buy a new horse for your courier however, Philippe is well known in the village. It wouldn't do well for him to be seen often here. Everyone thinks you and your father are dead, and perhaps it is best if they keep believing so._

"How did you…" Belle quietly asked the letter, shocked and amazed at what she was reading, to which it promptly answered.

_A fine young man by the name of Adam has come to see me and told me everything about your disappearance. I couldn't have picked a better man for you even if I tried. His loyalty and the fathomless depths of his heart are astounding, a finer husband the world has never seen, not even in books._

Husband? Belle blushed modestly. She loved Adam, loved him with ever fiber of her being, but somehow the idea of marriage terrified her. He was a prince, she was just a common girl, how could they possibly marry? He talked of having great men and women of breeding and noble deeds in his family history, she had the common man who worked to feed his family.

_I know he hurt you, said a very cruel and wrong thing this morning, but he regrets it deeply, and has seen the error of his ways. Please forgive him, Belle; sometimes a person's mouth does not accurately communicate what is in the heart. I have sent you this book, which arrived this morning, as a gift from two men who love you dearly, and in return, Adam has generously filled my coffers to support my business and keep me here in Molyneux. I hope to hear from you soon._

_Merlin Linwood_

Belle stared at the letter as if it was a ghost from her past. Lumière didn't dare sneak a peak at the contents—though he prayed he would have a chance later—and instead pointed out that the was more writing on the back. She flipped the page over, wondering what she would find.

_Belle,_

_ I'm sitting in the field next to your old house as I write this, watching Philippe enjoy his freedom. It's very peaceful here, I can easily imagine you coming here to watch the stars at night or lose yourself in the beauty of nature, forgetting your village and dreaming of someplace new. Words can't express how sorry I am about what I said this morning. I didn't mean to hurt you; I never want you to know pain or sorrow ever again, only joy and happiness for the rest of your life. You were not wrong or sick or anything remotely negative to fall in love with the Beast—I mean, to fall in love with me, and to lie with me. You saw beyond my body, you saw the heart inside. By declaring that you loved me, you acknowledged that you were willing to see me and treat me as a man, even though you thought I would remain in that form our entire lives. No other woman in Molyneux, or even France would have done that. Only you, the most beautiful, the most intelligent, the most amazing woman in the entire world. The Enchantress who put the spell on me, she must have guided you to me, to save me, just as I saved you, and I thank her with everything inside of me just for the honor of knowing a woman like you exists. _

_Adam_

Belle dropped the letter and ran for the door, ignoring the questions from Lumière and Cogsworth as she sprinted down the hall. All she could think of was Adam and how desperately she needed to see him. If she didn't know for certain that she ran up the stairs to the west wing, she would have considered herself lost. No longer did the walls and decorations in the main hallway reflect his tormented soul; instead portraits and statues showcased his ancestors and their great deeds. The beastly door handle to his room was replaced with an angel's head and wings, and inside was spotless, free of debris and clutter and filled instead with furniture and statues that reflected Adam's greatness as prince. Somehow she no longer felt welcome, that here was a life beyond hers, and she did not belong in his social circles. The only thing remotely familiar was the restored portrait of the prince, and she felt like she was seeing an old friend. She reached out and touched the fabric, smiling as she remembered how she would rack her brains trying to figure out who this mysterious man was, and eventually forgot all about him as she became good friends with the Beast. _The artist captured him perfectly, especially his eyes, my one physical link between Adam and my Beast._

Moving on, she discovered a crystal rose beneath the bell jar on the table. The stem and leaves were clear, but the rose petals were a bright red, as if they were carved from the purest of rubies. As much as her curiosity intrigued her, she didn't dare lift the bell jar and touch it, afraid of waking the wrong side of the Beast.

Adam was on the balcony, his back towards her, gripped the railing as if he wanted to crush the stone beneath his might. He seemed so lost, torn between remodeling his room to match the way it used to be and drowning in grief and despair. She silently crept up behind him, and carefully placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I said get away from me!" He growled, whipping around with his hand raised as if he might strike whoever touched him.

Belle took a step back, fighting her fear and a sudden urge to run away. He wasn't going to hurt her. He didn't lay a claw on her the first time she entered the west wing, no matter how angry he was and he wouldn't hurt her now.

"Belle," he said softly, his tongue caressing her name as if it was sacred.

She smiled warmly at him, though she couldn't speak. His beauty took her breath away, and Merlin was right. No other man would love her, care for her, or support her the way he did, not even in Paris. She shyly took his hands in hers and met his gaze, letting her eyes speak for her.

Adam brought both of her hands to his lips, and they knew in an instant that all had been forgiven. They let go only to throw themselves at each other, sharing a passionate kiss as their bodies pressed together as tightly as possible, only breaking off when they desperately needed air. He rested his forehead against hers and smiled brightly. She returned his smile and grabbed his hands pulling back into his room, bringing him toward his bed. Adam took the hint and scooped her into his arms, gently laying her down on the bed before climbing onto it himself, pulling the curtains closed.


	8. Chapter 8

_Author's Note: __Again I thank ArtFlourish and Emily for being my beta readers, especially Emily for helping me make a certain scene much better then my original plans. Please read ArtFlourish's fic._

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><p>"We have lived here longer then her entire life, how could we have possibly lost her?" Cogsworth demanded as he and Lumière walked back to her room.<p>

"Easy. If you would lose a dozen pounds, you would be faster and wouldn't lose her when she passes a corner," Lumière retorted.

"A dozen pounds?"

"At least!"

"You're as thin as a candlestick! Why aren't you as fast as a cheetah?"

"Because it's been a long time since I've had to chase a toddler around these halls! Care to produce a child to help me get back into better shape?"

"Go chase that dog instead!"

"That's Chip's job!"

"Stop bickering, please!" Mrs. Potts shouted with such anger that is so rarely seen that the two men instantly stopped and looked ashamed of themselves. "Now, what exactly is going on?"

The two filled her in on the morning's events as if they were students required to recite a passage for the headmaster, "and she read a pair of letters stuffed inside the book, and took off running, and now we can't find her."

"Well, was she happy; was she sad, how did she look when she ran?"

"It is hard to say. She was very focused on what she was reading, surprised that she had received such a letter to begin with," Lumière said. "Perhaps we shall find out more if we just happen to sneak a peak at the contents?"

"Go through Belle's personal effects? We might as well drop our trousers as the master kicks us straight out the door!" Cogsworth argued. "I won't dishonor my service to the master and his family by snooping."

"The letter lies on the floor in plain sight. We are not snooping, we are cleaning."

"We are not upstairs maids; we are men with important positions!" Cogsworth sputtered, appalled at such a suggestion.

"I will read it," Mrs. Potts announced, ending the fight, and pushing them back into Belle's room. "Honestly, Chip and the other children act more mature then you two sometimes. Now where are the letters?"

"Here," Lumière handed her the paper and hastily added "one letter for each side" when she looked at him as if he was an idiot. Was it any surprise that she was often referred to as the castle's mother? She could easily rule over them all with only a stern warning.

She read each side silently, keeping her face blank and leaving Lumière in agony. What was the content of those blasted letters? "She has gone to see the master," she concluded, folding the letter neatly.

"So much for waiting for him," Lumière chuckled.

"What's so funny about Belle going to see the master?"

"Only that when I suggested such a thing, she said-and I quote-'Never! He will come to me, on his knees, begging for my forgiveness,'" he quoted, imitating her tone of voice as he took a heroic stance, and then dissolved into laughter.

Cogsworth joined his friend in hearty laughter. The master on his knees, inconceivable! The girl certainly had quite an effect on him but not to such an extent.

"But he did," Mrs. Potts corrected them, and they both grew silent with surprise. "He apologized through his letter, and he must have went back to the village to meet with one of Belle's old friends, a fellow lover of books. This Mssr. Linwood sent her a special book and asked her to forgive the master's poor choice of words, and the master himself apologized and better explained himself in a letter on the back."

Such tidbits of information left Lumière frothing at the mouth to read the whole thing. He couldn't stand it anymore and grabbed the paper, quickly glancing over both sides.

"He must be in the west wing then," Cogsworth deduced, "and Belle guessed he would be there and went after him. I assume they are talking things over as we speak."

"Are you quite certain they are speaking?" Lumière teased with a devilish smirk on his face.

"Well I cannot imagine they are arguing if the master went all the way back to the village to speak with Mssr. Linwood and then pour his heart into a letter. So what else could they possibly be doing?"

"There are other things to do with one's mouth then talk," he said with a grin. "Surely being a mantelpiece clock for ten years hasn't made you forget about certain things men and women do."

Cogsworth turned many shades of red as he tried to keep his cool. "We do not speak of such things! That is our master you are speaking of, and Belle!"

"I would never speak dishonorably of the two," he defended. "I am merely speaking the truth. The master is quite handsome and Belle certainly lives up to her name. I can't really blame the two if they are—"

"Doing absolutely nothing but talking!" Mrs. Potts insisted. "I don't want to hear another word of this nonsense. The two are smart enough not to do any such thing until after they are married, and even then, we do not speak of such things between the two. It is not our place, and I respect them both too much to mention such things. Mind your tongues, both of you, before Chip overhears something, and if I have to answer any awkward questions from him, you'll both be sorry!"

"Yes Mrs. Potts," the two quietly agreed before Lumière asked, "but if you are so certain that Belle and the master are indeed doing nothing but talking, then why don't we all go to the west wing and see for ourselves?"

Now it was Mrs. Potts turn to turn several shades of red. "No, the two deserve their privacy after such a hard day. Do not disturb them, that's an order."

"I outrank you both, you all take orders from me," Cogsworth haughtily reminded her.

"Stop throwing your weight around for once!" She snapped," now may I SUGGEST the three of us go our separate ways and do not seek out Belle and the master? When they are ready they shall come to us."

"I do have some matters to attend to, if you'll both excuse me," Cogsworth said before hastily retreating from the room.

"I should follow," Lumière agreed, but stopped when he heard his name.

"The letter?" She held out her hand, giving him a condescending look.

"I forgot I had it," he handed it over with a charming smile.

"I'm sure," she inserted it back into the book. "I am certain Belle wishes to keep it within the book as a memento of how much the master cares for her, and what lengths he is willing to do go to to show her."

"Yes, any day now politics will beat down our door and demand the master's vigilant attention," Lumière sadly pointed out. "Belle will not like that at all."

* * *

><p>Belle smiled softly as she snuggled close to Adam, resting her head over his heart as he stroked her hair. She was so tired from her hellish night and hours of worry that Adam was no longer hers, and felt so peaceful and safe lying there with her beloved, that she fell asleep, hoping and praying that she had no energy to spare in dreams.<p>

* * *

><p>Shortly after closing her eyes, she felt uneasy, as if she was somehow no longer safe. Did Adam get up and leave? Why? Didn't he realize how much she needed him near right now? She couldn't feel him beneath her and slowly opened her eyes, gasping loudly at the sight before her. She was no longer in the west wing, but in some kind of hellish void. The ground beneath her was solid black and felt like stone. There was nothing in all directions except a hate-filled colored sky of swirling reds, yellows, oranges, and more black, and the horizon seemed to expand forever. She took a step to try and run but remained frozen in place. The sky seemed alive somehow, as if it was concentrated evil energy condemned to circle this place, just as the stars forever circled the earth. Though she couldn't explain it, she felt if she tried to run, the sky would attack her, like a predator bringing down its prey.<p>

"Welcome to hell," came a booming voice that came in all directions at once.

"Who—who's there?" She demanded, her voice filled with more bravery then she felt.

"Who do you think?" The voice growled, and Gaston stepped through the horizon, magically appearing before her. "Of all the people in your life who deserve to be forgotten, you should never forget ME."

Belle gasped aloud and took a step back, moving to instinctively cover herself, but instead of feeling flesh, she was suddenly aware of the fact that she was wearing clothes; her blue dress from Molyneux to be precise.

Gaston snorted, "as if I want to see THAT. Don't flatter yourself, Belle."

So much for being the most beautiful woman in town. "Then why did you arrange a wedding outside my door?"

"That was before you went and defiled yourself, TWICE."

Her need to defend the Beast and Adam overcame the fear that threatened to leave her cowering and helpless before him. "What I did, I did out of love. Can you say the same for all the women you've lain with?"

He answered with loud laughter, laughter that filled the endless empty space around her, threatening to surround and crush her to death. "I am GASTON."

She felt the same fear crawl up her spine; the same that paralyzed her in her nightmare last night, when the Beast was killed and Gaston was prepared to violate her. It had a will of its own, wanting to take control and leave her at Gaston's mercy, but she couldn't give him the satisfaction. This was just a dream, a dream she didn't know how to get out of, but she was safe from physical harm. Adam was somewhere out there, supporting her, and she had to make him proud. "I am BELLE," she replied, standing her ground and pushing back her fear. Softly from somewhere behind her, she heard music, a melody that seemed to stand behind her and support her, giving her the extra strength she needed. "I have no regrets about what I have done, and I would gladly do it again, and again, and again."

Gaston growled like an animal; fury emanated from his body, adding an even stronger force around her body that wrapped itself around her, causing her pain as it squeezed her. "Take it back, NOW."

Belle looked him in the eye, feeling the music grow louder in her ears. "I will forever lie with Adam, AND the Beast," she declared without hesitation or fear. It was just a dream, and this time, no one was around, no one he could harm. It was just him and her, as things should be.

Gaston lunged at her with a roar, arms extended wide, his fingers arched like claws, but another roar merged with his as the music reached a crescendo in her ear, a roar that made her feel powerful enough to take down Gaston herself. With two short slashes, she was freed of her confines and carried out of harm's way as Gaston fell to the ground. Now it was his turn to fight his fear and stand his ground as he faced the one opponent who he couldn't win against, the one who cost him his life.  
>"Get out," the Beast growled.<p>

Once again the great hunter struggled to obey, but he could not bring himself to concede to the Beast's might. He grabbed his knife, and Belle finally surrendered to the paralyzing fear when she saw the blade. Twice now it had killed her beloved Beast, would it forever hunger for his blood? Dream or not, watching him die was not something she ever wished to see again.

But this time the Beast was prepared for such a dangerous weapon and knocked it out of his enemy's hand, but Gaston was quick enough to slash the Beast's arm, and blood quickly poured from the wound. Belle's screams were frozen in her throat, though the Beast showed no pain as he grabbed Gaston by the throat and threw him as hard as he could at the horizon, breaking the barrier of the sky and slipping through, trapping him there as the hole quickly closed up, appearing as if such a rip never occurred.

Belle barely acknowledged her relief that Gaston was gone and instead tore the apron from her dress, anxiously binding the Beast's wound, although he still seemed oblivious that he was cut.  
>"Belle, Belle, Belle…"<p>

She shook her head and ignored her name. No matter what she did, the blood kept coming. Was she destined to forever lose her Beast? Then why must she be tormented by seeing him? If the Beast was truly gone, then why couldn't Adam fill her dreams with his image?

"Belle…"

Now she stopped and looked up, her heart torn as she viewed Adam and the Beast side by side, and heard their lovely voices merged as they said her name with such tender care. Must she choose between them? They were one and the same; one beautiful soul that had a home within two bodies.

"Belle…"

"Beast…" she said aloud as she closed her eyes, feeling guilty but she had no choice. She loved them both, but if she could only have Adam when she was awake, then was it wrong of her to want her Beast to be in her dreams, safe from all harm and free to be with her as they pleased?

"Belle, wake up!"

* * *

><p>Her eyes burst open, breathing heavily as she sat up took in her surroundings. She was back in the west wing, safe and sound, but found herself unable to look at Adam, afraid she called out for the Beast loud enough for him to hear.<p>

If she did, Adam showed no reaction as of yet, pulling her into his arms and holding her close. "It was another nightmare, wasn't it?" Her facial muscles were active as she slept, showing everything from fear to relief to a more gripping fear. Why couldn't he protect her from such things? Why couldn't they haunt him instead? Belle had no active role in killing Gaston, so why must her guilt-ridden subconscious torment her, especially after sharing something so beautiful with him? She seemed at such peace, like she had never known strife and heartache in her life. He had hoped that she would be so tired that her sleep would be dreamless.

"Yes," she quietly admitted, pulling back enough to look into his eyes. "It wasn't as bad as last time, because this time he didn't succeed in killing you."

"Me or the Beast?"

She sighed and started to get up. Would he never learn? Why must he be so stubborn?

"Belle, please," he pleaded, grabbing her hand and pulling her close. She didn't struggle against him, but instead looked him hard in the eye. Didn't they already have this discussion? Why couldn't he listen, why couldn't he learn? "You don't realize how ashamed I am that you had to meet me as a creature, that you were prepared to spend the rest of your life with me in that body. I want to be the man you need, a man you can be proud of, not someone you have to hide away when guests come."

Her stony gaze melted into an understanding one as she placed her hand on his cheek, a soft smile appearing when he placed his hand on her arm. "You've always been the man I needed, no matter what you looked like. You love me, you don't try to change me or make me conform to your ideals. Adam, if things were different, if you were never cursed, do you really think we would have met? You're a prince, I'm just a commoner; our paths would have never crossed."

"Yes they would have," he assured her with great confidence. He silenced her with a finger to her lips when she began to protest. "The Enchantress brought you here to me. She knew you were the right one. Ten years, and you and your father are the only humans to come to my door. I can't write that off as a coincidence. She must have observed you and guided you to me. Even if I wasn't a spoiled prince, who is to say she wouldn't have observed me, or tested me? This is our destiny, Belle; you and I were meant to be together no matter what. Your mother looked past your father's heritage and saw the great man within, and I have always done the same with you."

Tears welled up behind her eyes at the beauty of his words and the true depths of his soul. "I love you, Adam," she said as she buried her face into his shoulder, crying tears of joy. Though she didn't believe in the Enchantress as strongly as he did, there was no denying the sincerity of his words and his love for her. Did her father feel the same way for her mother to make the hostilities with his in-laws worth enduring? She sniffled as she felt Adam gently push her away and shuddered as he so gently lifted her face to look at him, melting under the gaze of his beautiful eyes.

"I love you more," he whispered, barely loud enough for her to hear, and kissed away her tears. It wasn't long before she again fell asleep in his arms, but this time, her dreams were happy ones.

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><p><em>Author's Note: The song that Belle hears in the nightmare is "Flynn Lives" from the Tron Legacy soundtrack by the immortal Daft Punk. I know it is far removed from her time period but I don't care<em>. _My ears continually weep with joy from hearing such beautiful music and I've always seen it as the perfect backdrop for a heroic moment. Look it up on YouTube._


	9. Chapter 9

_Author's Note: Thanks to ArtFlourish and Emily for being my beta readers and TheGreenArcher for all her support. Sorry this chapter took so long. I hit a stubborn road block. This chapter is more then double the usual length, but I can't split it into two chapters. There is a long scene that has to remain one solid piece. I sincerely hope that future chapters will not take this long_.

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><p>As Lumière predicted, politics came to the castle the very next day, and when Belle was finally permitted to see Adam late that evening, she was surprised he still had human flesh and hair rather than fur and horns based on how angry and enraged he was. She could hear his cries of anger reverberate through the hallways of the west wing and was suddenly afraid of him, a feeling she hadn't felt since her first night here in the castle.<p>

"HOW DARE THEY!" Adam roared, lost in his own anger as Belle opened the door to his bedroom. "HOW DARE THEY!" In a moment of weakness, he grabbed the very same table that she had almost knocked over her during her first visit, prepared to throw it halfway across the room and take joy from watching it break apart.

"ADAM, STOP!" She shouted, rushing toward him and firmly grabbing the table, holding her ground as he tore it from her, prepared to throw it right at the sudden obstacle. "Please, don't do this," she pleaded, standing firm as she locked eyes with him.

Her voice cleared the red haze from his eyes and harmlessly dropped the table at his side, surprised and horrified to learn how close he had come to hurting his Belle. "Belle, I'm sorry, I—did I hurt you?" He placed a hand on her cheek as he quickly inspected her for any signs of physical pain.

She couldn't answer him, though she did place a hand on his forearm as she looked worriedly into his eyes. He didn't cause her any physical pain, but seeing him in such a rage, like he was the Beast all over again, it made her heart cry out for him. "What happened? What made you do this?"

Adam looked away shamefully but Belle turned his face back to hers, and once again fell into the habit of placing his hand on her forearm. "I saw THEM again," he growled softly, unable to completely banish his anger.

"Your parents?"

"Complete with another child; this time she has their love, she has their attention. She wasn't dumped off on servants because they couldn't be bothered to raise their own child, and because she's only ten, they expect me to become crown prince, because everything has been in upheaval since my 'mysterious departure' and they don't like having an underage, unmarried heir with my uncle as regent until she reaches her majority. By having a man, even an unmarried one, as their heir, it sets everyone's minds at ease and stops anyone from thinking of taking over, or so they say."

Belle took him into her arms and held him tightly. "I'm so sorry," she whispered, stroking his soft hair, knowing there was nothing she could say to make him feel better, and tried to fight her own emotions as he brought up marriage. His parents would never give their blessing, and unlike her father, she couldn't run off and elope with a prince. "Even without their presence in your life, you still turned out to be such a great and wonderful person."

"Only because of you, Belle," he reminded her. "You alone were responsible for my change, for my transformation."

"No," she corrected, pulling back far enough to look into his beautiful eyes, and did her best to keep her composure. "I only unlocked the good heart buried deep inside you, under all the years of pain and suffering. I know it wasn't what you wanted, but I'm sure people like Lumière, Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts, and even Babette and Madame la Grande Bouche helped you to become the man I fell in love with."

She was always right. Would he ever be able to say she was wrong, even just once? "Maybe you're right, but I don't owe them any favors. Any fool could have a child, that doesn't mean I should leap to do whatever they say because they gave me life."

"You're right, you don't owe your parents any favors, but you do owe other people, the common men and women you love so much, such devotion and care as you rule this province with them always in your heart and mind."

The hard-working souls of Molyneux, were they even aware that ten years ago their prince disappeared? Did they even care? Most likely their only concern with government was when the tax collector came, and they would curse him and their government even if everyone only had to pay a single franc. Through their hard work and industry alone did he had any semblance of respect for them, but people like Merlin Linwood, his servants, Maurice, Belle…they deserved a ruler who would watch over their interests and not grind them into the dirt. "You're not a common woman, Belle—"

"I can't boast of great men like your—" she was silenced by a sudden and powerful kiss that threatened to make her swoon.

"Not all great men have their names written in the history books, and it is quite easy for a great man to have an even greater daughter."

Belle smiled and kissed him with all the love she had for this wonderful man, and growled softly when she heard Cogsworth scolding them.

"_Mademoiselle_, if you don't mind," he motioned for the two to separate, but it only made Belle hold onto him tighter.

"But I do mind, and I want to be with him, the man I love," she insisted.

"Be that as it may, the two of you are unmarried, and we can't have rumors spreading of our beloved prince in immoral relations."

"Immoral relations?" She seethed, and felt Adam hold her back. What could possibly be so immoral about her love for Adam, a man who loved her as no one else ever could? She had no regrets about what she did, she was proud of her actions!

"I am merely asking that you separate and sleep in your own beds is all!" Cogsworth exclaimed, surprised to be on the receiving end of Belle's anger for once.

"Do as he says and I promise we'll make time for much more 'immoral relations,'" Adam whispered in her ear. "It's not worth fighting over."

Belle sighed and relented. "Fine, but kindly permit me one last good night kiss," and before Cogsworth could speak, she gave the pudgy man a great show of love between two people, and did not care that Adam's hands suddenly went past social boundaries just to further fluster the majordomo. "Good night, Adam," she said as she finally pulled back, a little out of breath.

"If you have another nightmare, immoral relations be damned, I want to be at your side and protect you," he insisted, making her smile.

"I'm sure I'll be fine," she assured him and stole a quick kiss just as Cogsworth began to sputter, "but thank you."

"Good night, Belle." _It won't be long until we can spend our nights together and no one will care what we do,_ he silently vowed as he watched her being escorted out by a bright red Cogsworth.

"Did I see some tongue in that kiss?" Lumière teased, watching the whole scene from the doorway and wondering if Cogsworth would explode if he got flustered enough.

"Maybe," she winked back.

"Lumière, you escort her to her room, I'm off-duty," Cogsworth declared and he ran as fast as he could down the corridor, needing to escape these people and their free and easy ways with love!

"It would be an honor, _mon cherie_," as he offered her his arm and fulfilled his duty. Belle rewarded her knight-errant with a kiss on the cheek and settled into bed. Adam didn't need to worry, she was confident that tonight would be an easy night's sleep.

* * *

><p>"<em>I'm awfully sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you," the man said, refusing to let go of Briar Rose.<em>

"_Oh it wasn't that," she explained. "It's just that you're a…a," she tried to run but still he refused to let her go._

"_A stranger," he finished. "But don't you remember? We met before."_

"_We—we have?" How could this be? She had never met a man before in her life._

"_Why of course! You said so yourself, once upon a dream."_

"Belle, oh Belle?" Maurice called as he climbed up the stairs.

Belle sighed as she marked her page with a hair ribbon that a suitor had given her at last year's fair and put it down. "Yes Papa?"

He courteously knocked on her bedroom door before sticking his head inside. "It's time to get ready for _réveillon_ at the castle."

"I already told you, Papa, I don't have anything to wear. I know we are permitted to wear just our Sunday best, but I'm too embarrassed to wear something so plain when the ladies of nobility will wear the latest Parisian fashion."

"Well it's not exactly the latest in fashion, but it is Parisian," Maurice said slyly as he opened the door all the way, holding her mother's silver gown. "I do not think it shall be an eyesore to the wealthy."

Belle gasped as she gently reached out and touched the fabric, remembering how beautiful her mother looked whenever she wore it.

"Everything she owned is yours, Belle," her father reminded her. "She didn't want her things boxed away as relics but to be used as is their purpose. I fear I do not know how to fix your hair in a way to suit the dress though."

"I remember how Mama did and I think I can imitate her."

"Good, we leave in three hours."

"I cannot walk there in Mama's dress, what if I ruin it?"

"We will take Philippe and the flatbed wagon. The ground is frozen and the snow has been thankfully light, and I'm sure the road has been packed down tightly from all the traffic always going to and from the castle."

"Alright," she agreed. "I'll be ready in three hours."

"Wonderful! We haven't had a proper _réveillon_ in years. This shall be a fantastic Christmas! Who knows, maybe we'll even get to meet the prince himself." He left to prepare himself, leaving Belle lost in her memories as she laid the dress on her bed, next to the book. Their last _réveillon_ was ten years ago today, when her grandparents invited the whole family to their Christmas feast, even though they continued to stare at her and her father like they were thieves not to be trusted. They never approved of their daughter's marriage and probably blamed her father when she fell victim to a small smallpox plague that made its way through the city a few months later and died within days of contracting it. Still, she remembered how grand and beautiful everything looked, all covered in decorations and the food was simply divine, much better than the plain meal she would make if they were stuck at home. The only people who were remotely impolite was her relatives, not the party guests themselves. Surely she would feel no such hostilities tonight during such a wonderful occasion. Meeting the prince seemed to be a foolish hope; they would probably barely see him. No prince would be like Phillip, casually flirting with a common woman.

The hours quickly passed, with Belle reading every spare moment she could find, and joined the procession leading to the castle. By some miracle, Gaston was not among them, perhaps preferring to get drunk in the tavern rather than rub shoulders with his betters. Everyone acknowledged that he was the town hero and unofficial leader; it would probably kill him to acknowledge that there were men and women more important than him. She joined in the caroling, feeling more and more comfortable as they traveled to the castle. With no Gaston and being Christmas Eve at a castle, she had no conceivable reason not to enjoy tonight.

Or so she thought. The castle ballroom was decorated so beautifully that it took her back to her childhood and the food was better than anything she could ever make at home, but there was no one to talk to, and she has no book on her, nor was it considered polite to read at such an occasion either. The nobility were indifferent to the common folk and stayed with their own kind, and she could barely manage small talk with the villagers when she had business in Molyneux. Why should they suddenly be her best friends with a multitude of interesting things to discuss? They saw her as different and treated her as such. Her father had managed to find a friend in a servant, a plump older woman wearing an apron over her clothes, but she didn't feel welcome in their conversation, as he appeared to be flirting with her, and she was flirting back.

Cautiously she walked along the wall, and slipped outside onto a balcony when no one was watching her. She walked up to the railing and looked up at the stars, finding their blank stares back down at her more welcoming then any living being inside. A small breeze suddenly picked up and washed over her, making her smile as she imagined it was her mother wishing her a happy holiday, though the cool, crisp air made her shiver.

"Here," a man said as he placed his jacket over her shoulders.

She gasped and turned around to find a handsome young man with long, sandy-blonde hair and piercing blue eyes staring at her. "Thank you," she managed. She wasn't used to such beauty. Gaston was easily the most handsome man in the village but his arrogance and brutish ways marred his attractiveness. "I'm Belle."

"Adam," he introduced with a bow and a warm smile.

"Oh, forgive me, please," she pleaded as she curtsied. She was so dumbstruck by his beauty that she didn't consciously realize he was a nobleman by the look of his attire.

He waved off her apology. "It's quite alright. Why are you out here all on your own? A beautiful girl like you should have every eligible man crowded around."

She blushed and looked away. "Well, I'm no one special, and I never really made any friends among the crowd tonight."

"It is impossible talking to so many of these people," he agreed. "It's a holiday, but they can't focus on anything but themselves and making sure others recognize how important they are, simply because they had the luck to be born into the right families."

"I can imagine," she replied, feeling more and more at ease with him. "So is that why you snuck away too, to get away from such people?"

"That and I saw you, and I hoped that you would be someone worth getting to know. I'm glad I was right."

She blushed for a moment. "I thought I wouldn't have anyone to talk to at all tonight. I'm glad I found you."

Their moment was interrupted when they heard a man clearing his throat. A man as skinny as a candlestick was frantically motioning toward the open door, making Adam sigh. "I fear I must go back in and attend my duties. I will see you later, Belle," he took her hand and kissed it. _"Joyeux Noël."_

"_Joyeux Noël, _Adam." She handed him back his jacket, no longer needing its warmth as Adam's smile would keep her warm in the tundra. No man was ever such a gentleman with her. After a minute, she decided to follow him back inside. She couldn't be completely anti-social, and without the warmth that Adam's presence and jacket gave her, she couldn't be out there long. Everyone had gathered together in the middle of the room, but why? She casually mingled with the people in back, acting like she knew what to expect.

"_Joyeux Noël, _one and all," Adam greeted the crowd and Belle stifled a gasp beneath her hand, unable to concentrate on the rest of his welcoming speech as she tried to wrap her head around this new information. Adam wasn't just any nobleman, but the prince of the province himself! She casually exchanged words with a prince, and that kiss—her hand tingled where he had touched her—but why? Did he assume she was wealthy or noble because of her mother's dress? She had to speak to him again, tell him the truth—no, she couldn't, it wasn't her place to ask the prince to speak to her, and surely he would be too busy with other matters to even think about her for the rest of the night.

The crowd's dispersal distracted her from her thoughts and she followed them to the sides of the room. Apparently the first dance of the evening was declared and she took a space against the wall, never really expecting to leave it.

"May I have this dance?"

She openly stared at Adam's inviting hand for a moment before briefly curtsying and taking it. She couldn't do this, she had to pull away, tell him the truth, but when the music started and Adam led her into a waltz, her fears vanished and she simply enjoyed the moment, feeling warm and safe as Adam continually smiled at her. It was nice to have such a moment with a man her age; such a difference from Gaston never failing to do or say something to make her annoyed and angry. No matter what happened, she would hold this dance in her heart forever.

All too quickly the song was over, and her fears remained banished as she didn't want to leave his side. He felt the same as he motioned for her to follow him, and the two sneaked back out to the balcony. Wordlessly, he placed his jacket back on her shoulders and she pulled it tighter around her. "Why didn't you tell me who you were? I'm not what you think I am. I'm just a poor, common woman. I'm not wealthy and I'm not of breeding. My mother came from a rich family and I'm wearing her dress but I'm no one special."

"I didn't think my title should matter," he answered honestly, "and I've always known you were a villager. I watched you enter with the others from Molyneux. You were riding in a flatbed wagon pulled by a draft horse driven by a short old man who I assumed was your father. Please, Belle, I'd rather not let our births come between us. My only true friends are my servants, and I'd like us to be friends."

A prince and a common girl, impossible! It just didn't happen, couldn't happen! She had to turn him down, to keep things realistic before she got hurt, but one look into his beautiful eyes, and she knew her answer. "Alright, we're friends then, your—"

"Please, when we're alone like this, just call me Adam."

"Adam, thank you for inviting the villagers to your _réveillon,_" she curtsied. "I have lived in the village for nine years and we've never received an invitation before."

"This is the first year I was in complete control of everything, and I wanted to share what I had with my people. Show them I care, and see new faces instead of the same old people."

"If I was home, Papa and I would have shared a small dinner, told stories, and I would have spent the rest of the night reading."

"You read books?" Adam questioned, making her frown, until he clarified. "I've never met a woman who enjoyed reading before."

"Enjoy?" What an absurd question! "I love to read books! I was rereading Sleeping Beauty before I came here and—"

"Thought it was unrealistic how a prince like Phillip spoke to Briar Rose, a commoner?" He finished. That would better explain her nervousness when she discovered his title.

"Well, maybe he assumed she was at the very least nobility because of her beauty."

"By that rule, I'd say you are a royal princess of France."

She blushed modestly but managed to return with "Then you are my royal prince."

"Making us married already?" He teased with a laugh. "Can't you give us more time than in the fairy tales?"

She hid her embarrassment with a laugh. Thank God he wasn't serious about marriage. "Yes they do seem a little ridiculous don't they? Snow White's prince sang to her; Cinderella shared a wordless dance with her prince; Ariel was infatuated with Eric and he didn't have anything to go on since she was a mute; it seems like a lot of progress was made with Briar Rose and Phillip actually having a conversation together, though they were already betrothed."

"Yet the two of us can't seem to get enough of them," he teased with a smile.

"I never really imagined a man reading fairy tales, especially a prince. I thought you would be too important for such nonsense, preferring books on philosophy, politics, and history."

"It gets boring reading such heavy material all day and night. I like to have little escapes through fantasy stories and adventure."

"But you're a prince; you have the money to go on adventures of your own."

"I'm only a provincial prince, and I don't have the luxury of time to go on any adventures. So my books are my only escape."

"We have a lot more in common than I thought," she mused as she took his hand. "Perhaps we can share an adventure together, reading a book, and share a romance in a fairy tale."

"I'd like that," he smiled, intertwining his fingers with hers.

"Pardon me, master," a voice interrupted, and the man as thin as a candlestick returned. "You know I would never interrupt such a scene unless it was of great importance, but people are looking for you. I would not keep them waiting."

"But I…" Adam tried to argue but Belle shook her head as she gave him his jacket back.

"It's alright, Adam; you are the host after all, it's not fair if I take all your attention from your guests. Thank you for your company; you really made this night special for me." Acting on an impulse, she kissed his cheek before giving him a slight push toward the door. "Go."

"I'll do my best to see you again before the night is through," he promised before following Lumière.

She looked back up at the starry sky and smiled, surprised and pleased at what just happened. A prince genuinely liked her, shared her love of reading, made her feel so comfortable that she was able to kiss him like that…tonight was definitely a Christmas miracle for a lonely provincial girl stuck in a provincial life. How she hoped her mother was watching and beaming her approval in the starlight. After a minute, she went back inside with a renewed energy, confidently speaking to villager and nobleman alike, surprising them all with how friendly and self-assured she was. She attracted much attention as dances were announced, finding partners from all walks of life and impressing them with her skills and natural grace. A few times she was able to catch the prince's attention, and they shared a moment all their own before others demanded their attention. The hours vanished as if by magic and soon the last dance of the evening was called. With a confident air, as if it had been planned long in advance, Adam chose Belle, ignoring the cries of protest from the eligible noblewomen, and the two danced as if they were the only people in the ballroom. It lasted forever yet was over far too quickly, and as the crowd prepared to leave, they sneaked out to the balcony, hand in hand.

"This was such a magical evening, Adam," she exclaimed, unable to contain her smile. "I can't thank you enough for everything." She moved to kiss his cheek again but Adam moved at the last second so her lips met his and they shared a powerful kiss that threatened to make her swoon. Her knees became weak as she shook from the beauty of it all, and Adam promptly responded by holding her tightly until a desperate need for air forced them apart. Neither of them could speak as their chests heaved, breathing heavily, each contemplating the strange feelings that the other awakened inside them. "Now I really can't thank you enough for everything tonight," she joked, surprised at her wit after such a mind-blowing moment.

"You can start by not letting tonight be the last time I ever see of you," Adam said with a serious tone in his voice as he ran his fingers through her hair. "Don't leave me with only a glass slipper to find you."

She chuckled, "I could never be so cruel to you or myself, praying you would want to find me and then managing to do so. I live in a little cottage just outside the village."

"I'll come to see you as soon as I am able," he promised. "Running a province is quite time-consuming. I don't know how our gracious king manages such a large kingdom, but thankfully he does it well."

"You're a great prince, Adam, and I can't wait to see you again. _Joyeux Noël._"

"_Joyeux Noël,_ and I know I'll be seeing you in my dreams." They shared one last kiss and he personally escorted her to her wagon, savoring the surprised expressions of both Maurice and Philippe to see her on the arm of the prince. "_Monsieur, _you should be proud of your daughter. She is a most fascinating woman. With your permission, I would like to call on her at your home."

"Why, yes, yes, of course, your highness! It would be an honor to have you as our esteemed guest," Maurice agreed, stunned and proud of how his daughter had managed to leave such an impression on the prince. Even Philippe bowed his head in honor, sensing that this man required reverence and thanks.

Farewells were exchanged and Belle and Adam wished that they could share one last goodbye kiss but her father would never approve. They joined the last of the line heading home as they walked along, reliving the glorious moments in her mind until Maurice felt that they were far away enough to speak freely. "My daughter and the prince, now there's something I never quite imagined. However did you manage it?"

"He saw that I was bored and lonely, and we got to talking. There really isn't much more to say."

"He's a fine man to notice and appreciate you. Perhaps I can show him my inventions and he will provide the funding I need to mass produce them and make them a standard household item. We'll be rich like I always promised you and your mother."

"I have no doubt of that," she replied, her faith never wavering when it came to her father's dream of becoming a successful inventor. "Oh Papa, stop!" She grabbed the reins from him and brought Philippe to a halt after seeing an old woman clutching a cloak tightly around her and holding a rose in one hand. "You'll die if you spend the night out here in this cold. Please, take my hand and you can spend the night with us."

The old woman didn't say anything, but the rose began to glow until a bright light blinded her for a moment, and a lovely woman with violet eyes stood in her place, brimming with magical light and smiling with affection and approval at her.

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><p>Belle shot up in bed, breathing heavily as the dawn slowly rose over the trees outside her window. Was that the Enchantress she just saw? Was Adam right? That dream had to be from her; it was far too close to reality compared to her usual dreams. Perhaps being with Adam was her destiny, keeping her safe from a hellish marriage with Gaston. "If you can hear me, Enchantress, thank you," she said aloud, with some hesitance, unsure if she was just speaking to herself or if the Enchantress could really hear.<p> 


	10. Chapter 10

_Author's Note: _Again I thank ArtFlourish and Emily for being my beta readers. Please read ArtFlourish's fic.__

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><p>Weeks passed, and Belle had fallen into the habit of getting up before dawn to be ready for breakfast with Adam, her one guaranteed moment to see him before he was whisked away into politics. It seemed unfair that his parents abruptly dumped the full responsibility of being prince on his shoulders, leaving no time for Adam or anyone else to easily adjust to the change in leadership. Years of lessons and diplomacy had to be taught within days, and Adam was always surrounded by advisers barking in his ear on what had to be done and when and how. It was becoming increasingly rare to have any significant private time with him, much less private time at all, as Cogsworth was ever vigilant, making sure the two did not engage in "immoral relations," and almost everything they did fell into that category. As romantic as it was to be suddenly whisked into an empty room and share feverish kisses and heavy petting for a brief period, they weren't children; they shouldn't have to hide their love but publicly acknowledge it, but Adam gave no sign that he was even considering marriage, and she didn't dare force the idea upon him. Though Cogsworth was fond of spouting laws and quizzing Adam on their meaning and how they should be applied in certain situations, no one ever mentioned if the law allowed a prince to have a common-born wife or if it specifically barred him from anyone except those of noble blood. She didn't dare ask, fearing the answer would be no, putting Adam forever out of her reach. She couldn't ask him to give up everything just to be with her; it wasn't fair to the people, from the nobles to the common folk, who were counting on him to keep the province stable and profitable. All she dared to was hope, pray, and fight to maximize their time together.<p>

Hastily dressing, she ran down the corridor as quickly as she could, not wanting Cogsworth shoving everything down his throat as quickly as possible and taking away her time with him. As much as she loved the pudgy little man, she was starting to hate him for keeping her away from her Adam.

"Good morning, Adam," she greeted, not even bothering to curtsy as she entered the dining room. When it was just him and the servants, she felt no need to follow protocol. Everyone knew how much she respected and revered her prince; there was no need to remind them with traditional gestures.

"Now that you're here, it is a good morning," Adam replied as he rushed over to her and gave her a loving kiss.

"Separate, separate," Cogsworth chided, but Adam ignored him and willfully made it worse.

"Forget breakfast, I want you instead," Adam purred as he began to nibble on her neck. Belle shuddered with delight and pulled him closer. Oh why couldn't he somehow take the day off and they could be alone together?

"Master, _mademoiselle_, I beg you, PLEASE separate!" He was nearly going blue in the face from how wrong this all was. "We can't have anyone accusing you two of—"

"Don't say it, PLEASE," Belle insisted as she unwillingly pulled away from Adam. How she had grown to loathe the words "immoral relations." It wasn't her place to propose nor did Adam seem to be in any great rush, if one at all, though he clearly loved her. Oh but if they were married, surely he could get a few days or even a week off for their honeymoon and they could spend each moment lying in each other's arms. How heavenly that would be!

"This can't last much longer," Adam promised as he helped her to her seat. For a moment, Belle panicked, fearing he meant their relationship. How could she possibly leave her handsome prince, the man she loved more than anything? "My schedule being so busy and every fairly important person in the province wanting my attention, this has to end soon and everything will settle into a ordinary, boring routine, allowing much more time for you. You're always first in my heart, and you always will be."

"Just as you are in mine," she replied, trying to control her rapidly beating heart. "Thank you, Javier," she instinctively said as a steaming hot platter was placed before her by a kitchen aide. She wondered over her eggs if she should tell Adam about her dream from a while back, where the two met at a Christmas party he had hosted, and she assumed they would continue to speak until they were as close and in love as they were now. It had to be planted in her mind by the Enchantress; her dreams never mimicked real life so perfectly. He often asked if she suffered nightmares, but she didn't want to worry him and always said no. They were nothing she couldn't handle on her own, and he had enough to worry about, she didn't need to add to that list. They came at random, with no discernible pattern, and there didn't seem to be any possible triggers she stumbled upon to encourage the dreams. Would Gaston simply haunt her for the rest of her life? How she prayed one day these nightmares would simply end!

Their time together was over all too quickly, and with another quick kiss and a promise to see her later that night, he was gone. "Sometimes I wish that dream was real," she said aloud to no one in particular.

"And what dream is that, dear?"

Belle turned around with a start, but calmed down when she saw Mrs. Potts standing in the doorway, drying the pan that cooked her eggs. "I wasn't aware anyone was around, forgive me."

Mrs. Potts chuckled warmly. "Just because we are not objects anymore does not mean we aren't hiding in the shadows, ready to serve at a moment's notice."

"Of course, I keep forgetting." She still didn't see the servants as mere servants, more like an extended family all working together to maintain the castle. "May I help with the dishes?"

"As long as Cogsworth isn't around, an extra pair of hands is always welcome," she laughed and then grew serious. "I overheard what happened during breakfast. I know how annoying and unfair he is, but you have to forgive him. He's always been a stickler for the rules; it's in his blood. His great-grandfather was an earl in England, but he so poorly managed the estate and lost everything, including his title. From birth Cogsworth had been taught to consider himself a nobleman, even though the law says he is just another common man, and he prides himself on running the castle as if he was in his true home in England, and this includes keeping everyone's morality high."

Belle took her usual seat next to the sink and began to dry the massive pile of dishes next to her while Mrs. Potts scrubbed and a blushing and nervous Javier returned each clean dish to its proper home. Unlike the others, he couldn't bring himself to feel comfortable around the master and mistress, even though she often lowered herself to help out in the kitchen ever since she came to the castle. In his heart, he was still a street urchin from Madrid, begging coin and kindness from the dons and more often receiving a kick then any mercy. He knew from the start that Belle was just another common girl, like himself, but his heart regarded her as a _doña_ and she must be treated as such.

"So please tell me what you meant earlier when you mentioned a dream?" Mrs. Potts kindly asked.

"The first night that Adam resumed his duties as prince, I had a dream that I'm certain the Enchantress sent me. Adam was never turned into the Beast, he never had a reason to be; he was always the kind man he is now. He invited the villagers to _réveillon _and we spent some time talking to each other in private. It went so well, he—" well she couldn't exactly tell her how Adam kissed her more than once, "he asked my father for permission to call on me in Molyneux. Adam is always saying how the Enchantress brought us together and he is confident that we were meant to be. I think that dream signifies that he was right, that we would always be together, so would it have been better if he was never the Beast? If he didn't grow to be a spoiled brat, would taking over the province demand his attention all day and night like this? Would it have been a smoother transition?"

"Traditionally, yes, but it just wasn't meant to be. Adam was their first-born, and his parents were very inept in parenthood. More and more the task of raising him was put into the servants' hands, as his father just wanted to rule the province and his mother was absorbed in her social life. We all loved him like our own son and wanted to raise him to be a good man, but poor Pierre was thrown out when he was caught disciplining Adam as a toddler, trying to teach him right from wrong and how to behave. His parents acted as if children were born with the knowledge of proper behavior, and accused Pierre of insubordination because he didn't like having such a young master. Our hands were tied, and Adam quickly became out of control. The only time his parents paid any attention to him was when he acted out, which further encouraged his behavior. When he was ten, they declared he couldn't be saved, he couldn't run the province effectively, and they were terrified of losing the family right to rule, either through peasant revolt or the king appointing someone new. They had another child but kept it secret from Adam and made her the new heir. They abandoned him here in the summer castle with an army of servants to care for him as they raised their daughter separately from him. They kept in contact with us servants through letters but when we wrote back that he had transformed into a beast and we became enchanted objects, the letters stopped completely, until Cogsworth sent them a letter saying the enchantment was lifted and he was human again and a much better man for the experience. Whether or not they believed our story, I don't know, but we never had any problems with intruders except for the night the villagers came."

She thought back to that night where Adam nearly struck her with a table in his blind rage over meeting his parents, and how he never wanted to speak of them if she asked about them ever since. Forcing him to suddenly become crown prince though they were still of sound mind and body was perhaps traditional, but it still didn't seem fair, and she started to wonder if they loved their son or even cared about him at all. If he was bonding with them, making amends for the past, then surely he'd be more comfortable talking about them with her. "I'm so sorry that you all had to go through that. Until the Beast saved me from the wolves, I thought he was…well I didn't know what he was, just a sentient monster somehow. After that moment, I knew there was a good heart deep inside him, I just had to try and unlock it. After a while, I didn't even try to think about why he was a beast and you were enchanted objects. I just saw you all as friends and family."

"You were a godsend to us all, my dear," Mrs. Potts assured her as she placed a comforting hand on the young woman's shoulder, "especially to the master, a lost soul in need of someone to guide him down the right path, just as he helped you find yours. I know it's hard being separated from the one you love, but remember he did promise to see you tonight, and he always makes good on his promises."

* * *

><p>Adam ran down the corridors, hastily apologizing as servants got of his way. Though he protested, complained, and tried to weasel his way out, it was much later than he anticipated when finally the day's events were done. How he hoped Belle waited for him instead of assuming he wouldn't see her that evening! She wasn't in any of her usual places, and no one knew where she was, so she must be in her room.<p>

"Some things never change," one servant commented to another. "As the Beast, he would run us over if we weren't paying attention."

"At least Belle taught him some manners," the other corrected, "and if I had a girl like Belle waiting for me, I'd run like hell too. I might not even apologize if I ran someone over."

Such joy entered Adam's heart when he arrived at her door, and he knew it was worth enduring being a prince if only for the moment he would see his beloved Belle again. He knocked on her door, but she did not answer. So desperate was his need to see her, he slowly and carefully opened the door, praying he wasn't intruding. She was laying on her side in bed, still fully clothed, one arm slung over the side as a book lied open on the floor. _She fell asleep waiting for me, _he concluded, and his heart sank at the notion. He wanted to be human to be the man she needed, not someone who couldn't be around for her. He reached down and grabbed the book, identifying it as the one Mssr. Linwood gave her recently, and began to read.

_"She will never marry the prince!" The king decreed. "She is of common blood; she will pollute our family's bloodlines! Centuries of careful breeding, gone in one generation!"_

_ "Father, I love her," the young prince argued. "I thought you wanted me to be happy."_

_ "Happiness comes later, you fool! You must put your family and the kingdom ahead of any such childish notions! Do you really think your mother and I cared for each other at first? The first time we ever met was at the wedding ceremony, and look at us now! It will be the same for you, with a girl of proper breeding, not some mutt!"_

Adam swore under his breath and looked down at his sleeping love, for the first time noticing an uneasy expression on her face. Did she think it would be the same for them?"They aren't us," he whispered softly as he marked her place and closed the book, placing it on the nightstand. "I'm sure that prince marries his love, just as I pray you will honor me by agreeing to be my wife. That is our one obstacle, Belle; nothing and no one will stop us except ourselves."

She didn't respond but she seemed to be more at ease and snuggled deeper into her pillow. Did she imagine it all to be a dream? Was she dreaming that she was in his arms, and she was pressing herself tighter against him? So be it, he couldn't disturb such a lovely dream. "Good night, Belle. I'll see you at breakfast." He meant to leave and spend the night in his room in the west wing, but he couldn't bring himself to move. He was looking forward to spending time with her all day, and sharing breakfast wasn't enough, it was never enough. He got into bed beside her, wrapping his arms around her waist as he pulled her close, placing a gentle kiss on her cheek.

"Adam?" She groggily asked, her eyes fluttering open as she tried to wake up, but the pull of sleep was very strong.

He shushed her and whispered, "go back to sleep."

She smiled and snuggled closer to him, mumbling "I love you" as sleep claimed her once more.

"I love you too," he replied and quickly fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

><p>"Where is he? He's late! If I have to make excuses for why he's not there, the old king will terminate my position!"<p>

Adam growled as Cogsworth's piercing voice disturbed his sleep, and buried his head into Belle's hair, hoping they would go away and leave him be.

"Demote you is more likely," Lumière assured his friend. "I don't even think he has such authority over us, anyway. We are not his servants; we are his son's servants."

"We've been in his pay long before the master could pay us, I'm sure he'd hold that over our heads!"

"Perhaps Belle will know where he is, it wouldn't hurt to ask," Lumière added hastily before Cogsworth went into another speech about "immoral relations."

_Oh no… _Adam cursed as Lumière gently knocked before entering the room.

"_Bonjour, mon cherie, _so sorry to disturb you, but we cannot find the master anywhere. Do you know where he is?"

"Adam's missing?" She repeated as she tried to wake up. He never came to see her last night, or at least she didn't think so. She vaguely remembered something about him last night, but it could possibly be a dream.

"I'm right here," Adam growled as he reluctantly revealed himself, sitting up in bed. Belle turned around to face him, angry at herself for not realizing sooner that he was with her.

"How could you, master?" Cogsworth demanded, putting his hands on his hips as he grew red in the face from all his pent-up anger. "If anyone else caught you—what if word got out? You know some servants can't be trusted; they are always looking to gossip about their masters! I won't let your good name be sullied by letting people claim you are having immoral—"

"SILENCE!" Adam roared, scaring everyone in the room, especially poor Cogsworth, who suddenly felt like a fat deer standing before a hungry wolf pack. "I love Belle, and whatever I do with her is NOT immoral! You may live and breathe rules and regulations and be content with that, but I'm not! I hate being denied time to spend with her, and whatever few precious minutes I get with her during breakfast every morning is hardly enough. Don't you EVER accuse either of us of having immoral relations ever again! That is an order! Now, I will get up and do my duties as prince, but I am DONE with work by sunset, because I will spend this evening in its entirety with the woman I love. Do we understand each other, Cogsworth?"

"Yes master," he meekly agreed. Never mind being fearful of termination, now he was scared for his life!

"I'm sorry about everything," Adam apologized as he quickly kissed Belle. "It was very late when everything was done and you had already fallen asleep. I couldn't bring myself to leave you; I looked forward to seeing you all day. I promise I'm going to do something very special for you this evening, to try and apologize for being away so much, and I will be on time for this event, right Cogsworth?"

"Yes master. Whatever doesn't get done, we simply put it off till tomorrow, no excuses."

Belle nodded, praying that Adam would be able to fulfill his promise. "Please don't hurt Cogsworth too much, he's still our friend."

"I won't, but the devil will pity him if I can get this evening free to spend with you."

"It'll be free, it'll be free!"

"I'll see you tonight then," she said before giving him a loving kiss. "Next time, wake me, please."

"But you looked so peaceful; I couldn't bring myself to disturb you. I'll send a servant to fetch you when everything is ready." With one final kiss, he left the room, and Belle collapsed on her bed.

"The fairy tales were wrong, Lumière. Adam is just like Prince Charming, but being a princess isn't all it's cracked up to be."


End file.
